Hawks of Peace
by F.C. Noventa
Summary: DMxHS// Just how do the colonies treat the ex-White Fang now that the war is over? Could the remnants's leader have something to do with Duo? What does Hilde do when she's not running the scrapyard or keeping Duo in line? Serious&humorous fic. Complete!!
1. Peg

**_Hawks of Peace  
Chapter 1:   
Peg_**

**By: F.C. Noventa   
  
**

Time period: AC 199-200  
Place: L2 Colony  
Based on minor character(s) from Episode 35: _The Return of Wufei,_ and _Endless Waltz Special Edition. _(We named one Frank Lobos) _  
_Material was also taken from the mangas Blind Target and Episode Zero.  


  
January, AC 199  
  


On colony L2, Frank Lobos wandered the rundown streets which tourists never saw, hands stuck in his pockets staring off into the distance. As he rounded the corner, a scruffy teen ran up to him. They talked in muffled, frustrated tones. Frank appeared to give a command. Off the boy ran. From a darkened doorway in the next block, a scrawny child led Frank by the hand to her mother. Half hidden in the shadows of a large box, her careworn face pleaded silently to Frank. He touched her tangled mat of hair, whispered something comforting and walked onto the commons area between darkly towering tenements. 

The sight would have sickened most colonists. In fact, many would refuse to believe it even existed. On this carefully orchestrated, snowy winter night in space, most L2 citizens were snug in their warm and comfortable homes. Out here, amidst darkened, high-rise, low-income dwellings, the forgotten remains of White Fang's L2 cell huddled around trash can fireplaces, sheltered by only ragged tents and oversized boxes - home - in a narrow courtyard optimistically dubbed 'Paradise Plaza'.

Suddenly a flicker of a smile crossed Frank's face as he watched a slim figure moving among a group of children, passing out hot chocolate and a few donated blankets. He moved closer to watch. Peg glanced his way, grinned and waved. He smiled, then returned to surveying the scene silently, much as a commander observes his battle-weary troops. His keen eyes took in every heart-sickening detail. Peg suddenly came up beside him. "You've got to stop this lone patrol of yours day in and day out. You're not helping them and you're not helping yourself!" she chided. 

"No choice, Peg," he shrugged as he reached down to scratch the bony frame of a scruffy dog that nuzzled his leg, tail wagging, "I feel responsible for the fate of every man, woman, child, and pet exiled to this god-forsaken island of poverty." 

Peg started to contradict him as usual. Ignoring her, Frank turned away and continued on, chiding himself, "And why shouldn't I? Wasn't I the one that urged these people to break the stranglehold Earth held them all in? Wasn't I the one who started the secret meetings, met with Quinze, Ralph, and the other colony underground leaders?"

Frank's mind drifted back to the glory days when White Fang became a major force in outer space. Wonderfully heady times they were! He glanced wistfully upwards as he indulged in some fond memories. "I felt like king of the colony! Commanding hundreds, controlling the fate of the colonies, . . . I thought nothing would stand in the way of colonist's freedom. I even saw myself as head of the colony someday after the war.

"But our defeat changed all that, even though White Fang never accepted the new Unified Nation. To tell the truth, Peg, I never cared much for politics. I just wanted peace and freedom for us colonists. To me that meant total independence from Earth. I hated Earth, the way Earth oppressed all the colonies. So when White Fang decided to join forces with Sogran after the war, I leapt at the chance."

Frank sank deep into painful memories which he shared with no one. He recalled the plummeting fall of White Fang members after Earth capitulated. Perhaps it was the ruthless tactics White Fang used during the war and subsequent revolt, but those were ruthless times. 

He whirled around suddenly and met Peg's gaze. "What I hadn't counted on, my friend, was the hatred the pacifists on the colonies would have for White Fang. When they came into power after the war, I could see my people slipping through the cracks in their 'True Peace' society. No one wanted to associate with anyone labeled White Fang. We had to form an alliance with Sogran. He seemed to be the only hope for White Fang families. But after that abortive revolt, even family members distanced themselves from uncles and cousins and children who belonged to our group. And the kids! Do you remember when the kids started throwing rocks through windows, painting death signs on White Fang houses? Neighbor turned against a neighbor, friend against friend, brother against brother! A vicious, spiraling cycle that brought us finally to this. Yeah, some leader I make. They'll probably nominate me King of the Colony any day now!" He let out a sharp, bitter laugh.

Frank, defacto mayor of this tent city lurking in the shadows of a most prosperous colony, spread his arms wide as if hugging the tattered remains of his once glorious organization.

"Frank, you did everything humanly possible," Peg chimed in. She had to get him out of this depressing litany he kept falling into. "And I can see you as a colony leader," she commented looking around at the sorry lot of people huddling around trash can fires for warmth, "You certainly have a way with these people."

"Right! Sure! Great ideas, bad techniques. Duo Maxwell was right. I have a way of teaming up with the wrong people to accomplish my high ideals." How Frank regretted that shattered friendship. He had known Duo since their childhood days under Father Maxwell's care. The feisty, braided orphan was one of the few guys he had ever called 'friend'. Sadly, after Frank was adopted, they lost touch with each other . . . until he discovered his old friend had become one of the famed Gundam pilots. 

"Huh?" Peg turned toward him with sudden surprise, "You mean the Gundam pilot?"

"Yep." Frank frowned remembering their last meeting, "I was sure the pilot of Deathscythe would join our righteous revolution. After all, the Gundams had begun it. We were just following their lead. Seems I've followed Duo's lead a lot in my life. But in that reunion in a warehouse meeting, with all my top men around me, I was stunned when he suddenly left saying, 'I'll just continue to go it alone.' He didn't even look at me when he said it. It hurt. I called to him to wait but he just walked out on me - on all of us - leaving us no alternative but to join White Fang." Frank sighed and shook his head, "We needed him, Peg - we need the likes of him now." With sudden determination Frank looked right through his destitute followers to a brighter future. "I'll bet Maxwell could pull a miracle or two out of his braid. He was always talented that way." Frank laughed out loud at a distant memory. 

Delighted to see Frank laugh for the first time, Peg joined in and tried to keep him on the happy track. "He must've been quite a character when you knew him. Tell me about him."

Frank chuckled to himself, visualizing happier days. "Well, when I first arrived at the orphanage, I felt my life was over. My folks had just died in an Alliance raid on our neighborhood. I got tossed in with this wild bunch of strange kids. They totally ignored me - except for Maxwell. Yeah, Duo Maxwell. We called him The Braid. You wouldn't believe what he used to carry in that hair of his - apples, cookies, knives, you name it!" 

"Sounds like quite the little thief," Peg commented.

"Nah, not really. He had been a thief before coming to Father Maxwell's place - that was how he survived living in the streets. No, this was just 'friendly snitching' he used to call it. One day Father Maxwell caught him snitching a handful of chocolate cake fresh out of the oven while the cook had her back turned. He just stuck his hand in." Frank gestured animatedly as he described his rascally comrade, "And ran off with a fistful. Well, Cook screamed when she saw her mangled cake. Father Maxwell came running out of his office to see what the fuss was all about. He spied the trail of crumbs, sighed 'Duo!', and followed the trail to a closet. He pulled open the door. Duo grinned up at him with a mouthful of cake crumbs, 'Hey, Father, wanna bite?' Father Maxwell grabbed him by the braid. A small white object fell out of it. 'This wouldn't be Bouncer's missing tooth by any chance would it, Duo?' Father said. Duo replied with pride, 'Sure is. I gave him my famous right cross!' Before he could demonstrate his technique, Father gave The Braid a yank that made him squeal and dragged him to the kitchen to apologize to Cook."

Frank smiled and shook his head at the thought. "And you know, when he got back to our dormitory, he called me over to his bunk. We tented under the covers and he pulled another piece of cake out of his pocket and gave it to me-hair, fuzz and all. I wolfed it down. Best cake I ever ate." He paused and the smile faded as his mind returned to the present, "Sure wish I had that grubby piece of cake about now." Frank squared his shoulders as if trying to shake off the black mood, "Anyway, that's the Duo Maxwell who became my best buddy. He never gave me a minute's peace to mourn or mope. In between bites of swiped goodies, I was too busy ducking his spit balls, explaining my way out of the trouble he framed on me, dodging his overeager right cross." Frank rubbed his cheek remembering one of his first battle scars. "Yeah, Duo Maxwell has a way of making you forget all your troubles."

"By replacing them with new ones, huh?" Peg and Frank both broke out in loud and long laughs which drew stares of disbelief from the people of Paradise Plaza.  
  
If only she could do more to help, spend a little more time assisting the group, bring more supplies, talk with Frank about better times. But her position was precarious. She had to maintain a very distant, anonymous role . . . which reminded her of the time. "Frank, I gotta go." She gave him a quick hug and a smile, "Hang in there . . . and take care of yourself, please! You're all these people have to look up to, you know." She squeezed his arm, then off she ran.  
  
"Yeah," he muttered to himself as he watched her leave for brighter places, "That's what scares me." After standing there staring after her for the longest time, he took off with a determined stride down the same path.

* * *

The artificial sun dawned bright on a neat little suburb of single story homes and sleepy, fenced-in yards. The serenity of the scene was suddenly shattered by the usual clattering and clanking from a shiny metal mountain jutting high above the landscape. It loomed ominously over the tranquil area like some gigantic thistle weed in the middle of a perfect grassy lawn. From the top of his mountain Duo Maxwell looked every bit the king of suburbia. 

"I know I sniffed that fuel pump somewhere up here," he told himself, nose sniffing like a bloodhound as he rummaged through the mangled heap of scrap metal and other space junk. "Business sure has been booming lately," he said to thin air, "Getting harder and harder to find the right . . . Aha! There you are!" he proudly held aloft the battered part, then raced and leaped down the hill like a mountain goat. He landed at the door of the shop-which he called home-just as Hilde arrived to open it for the day's business.

With a mischievous gleam, the errant part hidden behind his back, he snuck up behind her and shouted "Morning, Hilde!" 

She leaped in the air and nearly fell on her way back down, "Duo! Why do you do that? You know it scares me outta my shoes," she whined.

"Yep," he grinned, "That's why I do it!" he leaned forward as if confiding a secret, "Hilde, I got somethin' special for ya'."

"Why, Duo, you didn't have to get me anythi . . ." her voice trailed off as he whipped out the disgustingly dirty fuel pump from behind his back and proudly thrust it up to her face for inspection. A big glob of grease dripped onto her shoe.

"It's the fuel pump for Besera's Shuttle Service. Whaddaya think? It only took me a week to find it. Have I got the touch or what." He grinned and gave her a greasy thumbs up.

Hilde only smiled and shook her head as she walked inside looking for a rag to wipe her shoe. "Duo, you are the most totally hopeless person I've ever known."

Duo struggled to get the pump inside without dripping on all the furniture. A trail of grease drizzled across the floor. He looked at her bewildered and hurt, wondering what he had done wrong this time. But before he could object, they were interrupted by a customer at the door. 

"Excuse me . . . Duo Maxwell?" The stranger had on a frayed overcoat with the collar pulled up high, partially obscuring his face. 

"Yeah, that's me. The one and only!" He mustered his usual exuberance for the new audience, "Who wants to know?"

The stranger took off his coat revealing even scragglier clothes underneath, much too little for the season. "It's me . . ." he paused as if reconsidering his reason for coming, "Frank Lobos."

* * *

Duo and Hilde stared in disbelief at this shadow of the once-proud man who had headed the White Fang organization on L2. Duo remembered their last meeting when he had ordered them out of this very shop. Wanted to use my Gundam as a symbol for their terrorism. The nerve! Duo's blood boiled at the thought and anger took over his tongue as usual. 

"You have your nerve showing your face here after all you put my colony through!" Duo stormed menacingly close to Frank. He glared at him eyeball to eyeball. "I don't wanna have to say this again . . . get outta my house NOW and don't EVER come back again."

Hilde wedged herself between the two retired warriors, using all the strength she could muster to push them apart. "Duo! Hear him out, please! Frank must have had a very important reason for coming here."

"Yeah, he must have a death wish" Duo leaned hard against Hilde's arm, chomping at the bit, "I'll be happy to oblige him."

"Duo," Frank interjected, "You have every reason to hate me - just like most everyone else in the colony - but I had to risk coming here. There's a serous problem on L2. You're the only one I know who might be able to solve it."

"There's a serious problem on L2 all right," Duo agreed as he wound up his arm for a right-cross, "And I'm about to get rid of it!"

"Duo!"

"Aw, all right, Hilde." Duo switched gears and stormed away from Frank to pace in a circle. Then wagged a menacing finger at Frank, "But you better be on the level!"

Hilde took advantage of the break in tension to escort Frank to the table where she proceeded to fuss over his lack of weight and started to place the breakfast intended for Duo in front of him. "Now before you two discuss anything I want you both to eat a good breakfast. Here, Frank, you look like you haven't had a decent meal in a month."

Duo stood stock-still staring amazed at the enemy sitting in his seat eating his breakfast, served by his girl. "Now wait a minute, Hilde, this is goin' too far. I'm not sittin' at the same table with . . ."

Hilde started to push Duo towards the table and plopped him in her chair, slamming a plateful of cold food in front of him. "Sit! Eat! Shush!" She glared until he complied

"Hilde!" He started to whine, then thought better of it and sharply saluted her instead. "Yessir, Cadet Hilde." As she smugly smiled and turned to go back to the kitchen, he muttered, "You tyrant." He noticed Frank's hint of a smile and barked, "Well, what are you smirking at, haven't you ever seen a henpecked rooster before?" Frank raised an eyebrow above a wide grin and buried his head in a glass of milk. Hilde blew Duo a kiss.

With breakfast over, Hilde cleared the table and Duo gave Frank a long appraising stare. "So what's so important that it brings you to Death's door, Frank?"

Frank took in a deep breath and gathered his thoughts. How could he possibly make this enemy, who he once counted as a friend long ago, see the need as he saw it? He drew a deep breath, "The only way to make you understand is to show you. Duo, you have to come with me." He closed his eyes and braced himself for the storm.

"What! You gotta be kiddin'. I'm not goin' anywhere with you except to the front door." With that, Duo grabbed Frank by the collar and hauled him out of his chair, half dragging him to the exit.

"Duo!" Hilde and Frank shouted simultaneously. As the three of them scuffled and fumbled in the doorway, an elderly couple walked by staring in amazement. Duo caught them out of the corner of his eye as he was about to stuff his fist into Frank's jaw. "Oh, hi, Mr. Applebee . . . Mrs. Applebee. Great morning, huh?" Nodding nervously, they hurriedly passed on by. 

Hilde took advantage of the lull to escort Frank out the door, dexterously gathering his coat in one hand and Frank in the other. They were at the end of the block parting before Duo realized his prey was gone.

Shrugging his shoulders, he ambled back to the kitchen scrounging around for a snack. Hilde came back, closing the door with a slam.

"Duo Maxwell! I have never been so embarrassed in all my . . . What's gotten into you? "Before he could answer, she cut him off with his mouth hanging open in reply. "Never mind. Just never mind!" She wagged a finger under his nose, "There's no excuse for such behavior. Honestly, Duo, I thought you had matured so much lately. But now . . . Didn't you see how down and out he looked? My gosh, he must be going through such terribly hard times." She turned on him with a fresh vengeance. "And you had to make things even tougher for him, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?"

Too besieged to reply, Duo simply looked at Hilde, grabbed his favorite fuel pump and headed out the door, leaving a slick black trail in his wake. 

Beginning to regret her harsh words - she made a mental note to stop picking up Duo's bad qualities - Hilde hurried down the street after him. "I'm sorry, Duo, really I am. It's just that he looked so pathetic, so desperate, so . . ."  
  
"Cute?" Duo offered, staring straight ahead hugging his dripping fuel pump. He hardly noticed the expected 'THWACK' on the side of his head, but let out a loud "Yowl!" anyway.

"Duo, you're impossible!" They headed down the street toward Besera's Shuttle Service, affectionately bumping each other off the sidewalk.

After dropping off the part, Hilde grabbed Duo's arm and, bouncing in front of him, pleaded, "Duo! How about a soda? I know a great spot just a little way from here. C'mon," she called over her shoulder as she dragged him down the street.

"Okay! Okay! You know my weak spot!" he laughed.

"Yeah!" she laughed back, "All 25 of them!" she replied with a wink.

"What?!? What weak spots? Me? No way!" Duo contorted his face in disbelief.

On a roll she smirked and added, "In fact, I'm sure if we checked that braid of yours we'd find a couple more even . . . maybe a few apples or cookies - or worse - lurking in there."

After several twists and turns, a few more "No way" mutterings, and many more blocks than expected, Duo and Hilde shared a large ice cream soda with two straws. As they were leaving, they passed by a narrow passage between two towering apartment buildings, surprisingly dilapidated for L2. 

"Hey, Hilde!" Duo touched her on the shoulder and steered her toward the glowing fires of a string of trash cans amidst a sprawl of large boxes and tents. "Would you look at this?"

Before she could reply, he heard a voice from behind him. "Pretty unbelievable, isn't it?"

Whirling around Duo lowered his gaze at Frank, fire dancing in his eyes. "You! I've been set up, haven't I?" he turned a stabbing look at Hilde, "Haven't I, partner."

"I-I'm sorry, Duo, but it seemed so very important." She fumbled for the right words, eyes cast down to the cracked concrete. 

Duo turned his back to them, starting to walk away. He raising his arm in a "leave me alone" gesture, leaving Hilde and Frank staring after him helplessly.

* * *

The next morning Hilde was late coming in. She quietly opened the door, turning on the lights in the darkened main room with closed curtains. Duo sat slumped at the table. He looked like he'd spent the whole night in that chair. Sympathetically Hilde walked over to him, "Poor Duo, you look terrible!" She rested her hand on his head. He yanked away abruptly. Hilde drew back in surprise. This was definitely not the Duo she knew.

"How long have you known about those people?" he asked in a slow monotone, staring straight ahead, not looking at Hilde at all.

"A while," she replied in a timid voice.

"And were you ever going to tell me?"

"Ah . . ."

"And Frank . . ." There was a painfully long pause, "How long have you been working with him?"

"Well . . ."

"Well?" He finally turned slowly and looked her straight in the eyes. Hilde saw a touch of pain behind the Great Destroyer's withering glare.

"He didn't really know it was me."

"How's that?"

"I . . . I wore a disguise," she stammered, embarrassed, "I used another name there, too. They all called me Peg."


	2. Who's the Boss?

**_Hawks of Peace  
Chapter 2:   
Who's the Boss?_**

**By: F.C. Noventa   
  
  
**

Time period: AC 199-200  
Place: L2 Colony  
Based on minor character(s) from Episode 35: _The Return of Wufei,_ and _Endless Waltz Special Edition. _(We named one Frank Lobos) _  
_Material was also taken from the mangas Blind Target and Episode Zero.  


Relena Darlian sat quietly wondering about the strange call she'd just received. She certainly knew Duo Maxwell very well, but it wasn't like him to call her. And to ask for an appointment? She shook her head in disbelief and amazement. Briefly she toyed with the thought of asking Heero's opinion, but promptly rejected it. Even if this were a matter for his advice she had no idea how to reach him right now. 

"Jian," she called through the intercom, "Would you please clear my schedule for tomorrow afternoon. I have some important matters to tend to on colony L2." With that matter resolved she went back to work.

* * *

The shuttle arrived a half hour late on colony L2. Vice Foreign Minister Darlian hurried off, scanning the crowd at the terminal for a familiar face she hoped had not grown too impatient. She finally found Duo at the far back of the room, leaning against a post with arms crossed and brows furrowed. He was wearing scruffy old clothes as was she - just as he had requested. The mystery grew as she realized he somehow appeared more like Heero than Duo for some reason she couldn't quite place. It became more apparent as she greeted him and they began to talk. He spoke quietly in carefully measured words, mostly monosyllables. For someone who seemed anxious to talk to her, Duo Maxwell was stunningly silent.

"Follow me" was about the only thing he had to say.

Taking public transportation Duo quietly led Relena down from the beautifully bright vistas of L2 to a dark, foreboding, narrow street of towering tenement housing. "Duo, where are we? On all the colonies I've never seen anything like this."

"Neither had I before yesterday. But here it is. C'mon" He led her around a corner to Paradise Plaza. Relena stopped abruptly, sharply drew in a breath of putrid air, coughing slightly. She looked around at the Tent City in the late afternoon light nearly obscured by the high-rise buildings.  
"Who are these people? Why are they living here? Why isn't anything being done to help them?" Relena reached down to pull up a blanket that had slipped off the shoulder of a dirty-faced tot who had come over to look at them. "No one to help these poor, little children?"

"A few." Relena turned to stare at Duo. His clipped words were so harsh in tone.

She drew herself up and stood face to face with him. "Duo, what is it you're not telling me?" He only stared at her - stared through her - to something far away. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "We've been through much together, you and I, Trowa and Quatre, Miss Noin and my brother . . ." Her voice trailed off and her eyes glistened, "And Heero . . ."

Finally Duo showed some sign of life. He turned toward Relena, looking at her for the first time it seemed, "Sorry, m'lady," he said with a touch of the old Duo smile. "I guess this place gets to a person." He drew himself up and grabbed her hand as he strode back toward the bright world beyond. "C'mon! Let's put our heads together and see what we can do about this mess."

* * *

Jian hurried into the administrative office complex for colony L2. She'd come in on the evening shuttle, briefcase stuffed with papers. "These matters can't wait," she'd told the staff as she packed for the impromptu trip. But the truth was, she was concerned about her boss - her friend - Relent Dalian.

"Hi, Wellesley. Is Relent in?" she paused to look toward the office where raised voices threatened to drown her own out.

"Uh, ye-e-es." The receptionist looked anxiously toward the noise as she hesitantly added, "But I'm not sure she wants to be disturbed right now." She shuffled some stray papers nervously.

Jain was not about to be dissuaded after coming so far. She strode toward the voices and turned the knob. "No problem. The minister expects me." The sight that greeted her made her think about going back out again.

She recognized the swaggering form of the lively ex-Gundam pilot, Duo Maxwell. What she barely recognized was the shabbily-dressed, cowering form of her boss. Clearly Relena needed an ally on her side. 

"It won't work. It won't work! IT JUST WON'T WORK, Miss Social Worker!! These are proud people. We're talking White Fang, you know!" He held her by the lapels and seemed ready to shake her like a rag doll.

"Ahem, Vice Foreign Minister," Jian hurriedly interrupted, "I brought some important matters that cannot wait." She backed away slightly as the furious figure turned his rage on her.

"This matter won't wait for your . . . your . . . PAPER PLAY! WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REAL PEOPLE HERE!" Jian screamed involuntarily as Duo's fist flung the papers out of her hand and across the floor.

The whole incident seemed to help Relena remember who she was. "Jian, you may leave us. Mr. Maxwell and I do have an important matter to resolve and," she turned a warning gaze of ice on the feisty young warrior, "Despite his rude manners, he is a key figure to resolving the matter." She added as Jian seemed ready to object vigorously, "It's all right, Jian, really. Duo and I go back a long way." She added with a touch of a smile, "He's one of the few people I know who dares to speak his mind. It's . . . refreshing."

After Jian left, Relena motioned for Duo to sit at the small table in the corner of the room which was much more informal. She poured them each a cup of tea and sat down across from him, studying his face for a long while before speaking. Duo, having made a proper fool of himself, was too busy mentally kicking himself to say anything.

"Duo, I know we need to address the problem of employment for these former White Fang members. Your idea of using them to help meet the demand for salvage workers in your area is fine as far as it goes . . ."

"I know the other guys in the salvage business. We're a friendly rivalry 'cuz there's more than enough business to go around. I can bring them around to seeing things my way. We'll find jobs for at least a hundred guys." He shook his head. "But you're right. I'm afraid there's gonna be a lot more than that in need of work." He shook his head trying to think of more solutions.  
Relena agreed, "I'm sure of it. In fact, the other colonies probably have the same problem to some degree or other."

"Hey, what about Quatre? I tried to call him, but couldn't bully my way through all the paper- pushin' bureaucrats." The dark frown changed like silly putty into a wide, apologetic grin, "Sorry! Present company excepted, Good Lookin'."

Relena laughed, "Duo, you always know just what to say when we get too serious about ourselves. You're right. Quatre is just the person to fill in the gap. In the mean time, why don't you meet with this Frank who seems to know the L2 problem best?" 

"What the heck do we need him for? I got this matter under control now. Just let me take charge! The Great Destroyer will wipe out poverty and discrimination on L2 like it was an Oz mobile suit factory! This job calls for a Gundam pilot - not some White Fang lowlife."

"Better work on the discrimination problem first," she thought to herself. Relena was quite taken aback by the renewed barrage. She had obviously hit a very tender spot. The young diplomat deftly deflected the conversation to what she knew would be a happier topic for Duo. 

"So, Duo, how's Hilde doing?"

* * * 

Hilde slowly walked around the office turning out lights, straightening papers, tidying up the kitchen. She noticed a bottle of prescription medicine on the counter. "Oh, Duo, why didn't you tell me those old stomach injuries were giving you trouble again? I'd have made you a pot of Hilde's Famous Cure-All Soup." She sighed remembering all the trouble she'd had trying to get Duo to a doctor after the war. For some reason, enemies always seemed to pick on his stomach. "Well, it is the part he's most attached to," she thought with a laugh. 

Hilde was reluctant to go home. "This seems more like home now," she said to the walls, adding sadly, "At least it did until yesterday." She flicked away yet another tear. "Oh Duo, where are you today? Why did you disappear without a word?" Realizing she already knew the answer, she added, "Duo, I'm so, so sorry. I'll make you a part of everything in my life from now on. Just come back to me, please."

She sadly turned off the last light and locked the door behind her.

* * *

Duo paced the block one more time. He tried to pretend he was casing Frank's place to be sure no one saw him entering, but the truth was he did not want to go in. Not at all. "I've got nothing in common with this guy," he told himself. "I don't trust him. I don't even like him." He didn't want to think about that last one too much. Hilde was at the center of that feeling. The thought of Hilde and their last conversation came crashing in on him. Duo felt bewildered, betrayed, and - for the first time he could remember in many years - lost, hopelessly lost without her to confide in. "I hate to admit it," he chided himself, "But nothing seems right unless Hilde's in on it." 

That was the last straw. Duo came to his senses and snapped to attention. "Whoa! Way outta character! Am I the Great Destroyer or some dumb lap dog!" He rubbed his fists together anticipating a good old-fashioned street brawl. "C'mon, Frank," he shouted, not caring who heard him anymore, "Let's just see who's the best man for the job." And with that he stormed up to the door of Frank's apartment and pounded loudly.

"Well, I never expected to see you here," Frank said as he returned Duo's glare. "What brings you to the dark side of the colony?"

Duo strutted in with his usual bravado. "Frank! Good news for White Fang. I've got the plan to get you all back on your feet again."

"Oh?" Frank leaned against the wall, arms crossed, sizing up the feisty young man. 

"Yeah." Duo eased into the only comfortable-looking chair in the cramped apartment. His eyes studied every detail carefully as he continued. "I called in Vice Foreign Minister Darlian and she agreed with me." He noisily put his foot up on the nearby table, "White Fang needs jobs to start with. I'll take care of that part. I got a lotta contacts in the salvage business. We can round up a couple hundred jobs to start with. Tomorrow I meet with Quatre Winner. He'll take care of any other jobs we may need and see to the other colonies as well . . ."

"Look, I didn't ask you to come in and take over, you know."

"Well, these guys of yours need all the help they can get, so don't look a gift horse in the mouth! Now Relena Darlian's gonna take care of anything the families need until you all get up on your feet."

"You don't know these people like I do. They're not gonna go for all this grandstanding and government takeover of their lives, Duo."

"Yer the one who came to me, ol' buddy, remember?" Though itching to plant a punch in this guy's face, Duo suddenly dropped his ever-ready fists, mouth agape, staring at the only wall decoration in the dingy little room. "Is that a genuine Texas ten-gallon hat?"   
  
"Yep." Frank finally peeled his back off the wall, "My grandad sent it to me," he replied wistfully. "So I'd always remember my roots."

Duo shook his head as he continued to look longingly at the hat. "I don't know much about my roots, but I woulda liked livin' in the Old West on Earth." He cracked his first real smile since his blowup with Hilde. "Things seemed so simple - so black & white - back then."

"Know whatcha' mean." Frank nodded as he sidled up next to Duo. "Life's gotten so complicated lately . . . I feel like I'm trying to fight shadows in a dark room with no door."

Duo surprised even himself by putting an arm on Frank's shoulder. "Let's bust open that room, what say . . . pardner?" Duo held out a hopeful hand. Frank took it in his own hand. They sealed the partnership with a vigorous handshake.

"You gotta deal, pardner."

* * *

Duo was starting to wonder if bringing Frank to this meeting was such a good idea. I'm beginning to think I was blinded by that oversized wall hat, he thought to himself as he listened to Quatre and Frank discussing details and totally ignoring him. "I can see it's time I took charge of this meeting! You two are starting to foam at the mouth with all your blathering."

Quatre laughed good-naturedly, "Sorry, Duo. Your friend Frank here has some great ideas I never would have though of." The young leader of the vast Winner enterprises looked admiringly at the former White Fang leader. 

"Yeah, well, you haven't heard my ideas yet!" Duo couldn't quite hide the jealousy in his voice.

Quatre picked up on it and turned his attention to his old comrade-in-arms. "Let's hear them, Duo."

Duo relaxed into the plushy reclining office chair, hands behind his head, and said as authoritatively as he could, "Well first, you need someone to coordinate the whole thing on L2."

"Of course!" Quatre diplomatically parlayed the thrust he saw coming, "Someone right at the heart of the situation who can see what's going on first hand."

"Exactly!" Duo - already a step ahead of him - lurched forward, slamming his fist on Quatre's desk startling the young executive, "That's why I plan to move into Paradise Plaza myself until we get these people resettled into some decent housing."

"What?!" Frank leapt to his feet.

"Uh, Duo," Quatre searched for some tactful solution to the trouble about to erupt.

"I know what your gonna say, Quatre. Don't worry. Hilde can handle the salvage business by herself for a while just fine" To himself he added, She doesn't need me around anymore. Before anyone could contradict his plans, Duo headed for the door tossing a wave goodbye over his shoulder. "Just leave the rest up to me. I got everything under control." 

The door slammed before anyone could reply. 

* * *

Back at Paradise Plaza, Duo wasted no time setting up his headquarters. He had rented a storefront in the building across from the plaza. "Nice 'n easy for everyone to just walk in," he said to himself with a grin of pride. "This way I can get to know them better, find out what they need." He wouldn't admit it to himself but Duo Maxwell was determined to show these people that he was more worthy of their trust and admiration than Frank could ever be.

A band of scraggly children came running over to peer in the open doorway at the curious stranger. The adults remained in the shadows across the quiet little street, eying his every action warily.

"Wha'cha doin', mister?" a dirty-faced little boy boldly asked.

"I'm takin' charge here, kid." Duo faced the kid with a big grin. "I'm gonna make things better for ya'." Stepping outside and looking around he waved to the lurking adults across the street shouting, "I'm here to make things better fer all of ya'!"

The adults retreated deeper into the shadows. "But," the little boy tugged at Duo's sleeve, "What about Mister Frank?" 

"Yeah," a tiny girl with a missing front tooth chimed in, "Mithter Fwank tooked care of us. Where's Mithter Fwank?" With that she began to cry. From the shadows an old woman covered from hair to toe in a ragged blanket, slipped the girl under her wrap and, with a withering glance at Duo, spirited her away.

Duo scratched his head, lost in thought. "This is gonna be tougher'n I thought." 

* * * 

"Whadaya mean, Kilroy?" Duo shouted into the phone, "Just last week you were complaining 'bout too much work and not enough helpin' hands. What's the story?" He fumed and stormed in circles in his empty storefront as Kilroy shouted back through the phone. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! You know I know the REAL reason! Thanks for nothin', ol' buddy!" He slammed the phone down and kicked the wall for good measure. Just then Frank walked in. "Perfect! Just perfect!" Duo sighed talking into the sky, "C'mon in, Frank. Make my day." Duo plopped himself down on a crate and motioned to an incredulous Frank, "Pull up a box and make yourself at home, old buddy . . . old friend . . . old . . . old . . ." 

"Duo, are you okay?"Frank eyed him suspiciously and checked the box twice before sitting on it.

"Frank, I'm throwing in the towel. You win."

"What are you ranting about, Maxwell?"

"I've called every guy I know who might have jobs. Suddenly none of them need help. As soon as I mention White Fang, they act like I'm carrying the plague."

"Well, you are. Believe me, Duo, I've been down this street before. The sad part is, I really was starting to think you and the others could pull a miracle out of your hat." He put an arm on Duo's shoulder, "This isn't a contest between us, man. If we don't find a way to help all these people, no one wins."

Duo considered Frank in a whole new light. "Absolutely right, Frank. I've been acting like a . . ."

"Jackass?" Frank volunteered with a mischievous smile.

"Well, that's not quite what I had in mind." He held up his fists ready for a mock fight. Frank obliged. Duo slapped him on the back, "Look here, Fang . . ." Duo suddenly pulled up straight, scratched the back of his head, as shocked as Frank at the new nickname that slipped out, "Whoa! Where'd that come from? Sorry 'bout that, Frank, I . . ."

"It's okay, Maxwell, I kinda like it . . . Yeah," he seemed to be trying it on for size, "Fang!" He flashed a wide, toothy smile, "It sorta fits."

"Yeah, yer right," Duo laughed back, "Fang. So, Fang, whadaya think, if we pull together on this project I think we'll make a whole lot more progress than if we keep going off in different directions."

"That's why I came to you in the first place, Maxwell."

"Right. Just hit me over the head with a two-by-four next time. It'll be quicker and less painful."

"Whatever you say, Maxwell." Frank grinned, "So what's your plan?" 

"Well," Duo scratched his head as he thought through the idea just forming, "I figure these guys I'm calling are like me. It'll take some time and some hard facts to bring them around. Why don't you pick out some of your best people and meet me here tomorrow at 8 A.M. sharp. We got a busy day ahead of us, Fang."


	3. Sinco

**_Hawks of Peace  
Chapter 3:  
Sinco _**

**By: F.C. Noventa   
  
**

Time period: AC 199-200  
Based on minor character(s) from Episode 35: _The Return of Wufei,_ and _Endless Waltz Special Edition. _(We named one Frank Lobos) _  
_Material was also taken from the mangas Blind Target and Episode Zero.  


"It was good of you to see me on such short notice, Vice Foreign Minister," Hilde said timidly as she entered the spacious office. 

"Relena, please, Hilde." Relena sprang up from her chair to greet the girl she'd only met briefly on Libra during the war. "I heard you were seriously wounded shortly after we met. I felt so bad I was not able to see you in the hospital. I didn't find out until after you were released." Relena started to pour tea for both of them. "I hope you recovered all right."

Hilde was startled that such an important person knew so much about her and was so genuinely concerned. "Oh, I'm just fine now, Vice . . . er . . . Relena." a frown crossed her face as she recalled the last few days, "At least, I was until this whole White Fang matter came to a head."

Relena nodded in agreement, "I know what you mean. I've been searching for a solution to this whole matter." She shook her head as she sipped her tea, "I've never run up against such vehement discrimination. It seems White Fang has become the scapegoat for all colony problems and guilty memories from the war."

"Why don't we put our heads together and see if we can come up with any fresh ideas to break the log jam?" She sipped her tea and sat back in her chair. "I have confidence Frank Lobos and Duo Maxwell will succeed in their efforts to find work among the salvagers." She raised an eyebrow when she noticed how fidgety Hilde got at the mention of those names. Relena was growing quite fond of Hilde . . . as she was of Duo. They seemed like a perfect team together. The thought of a rift in one of the bright spots of this chaotic era was just not acceptable. Also, there was the biting competition between Duo and Frank which would not help negotiations any. The peacemaker made a mental note to try talking to Hilde about it when matters quieted down. She closed her eyes and sighed softly. Life never seems to quiet down any more. Will it ever?

* * *

"Sinco is the oldest salvager in the business. If we can get through to him, the rest'll fall in line like dominoes!" Duo picked his way gingerly over the mounds and mounds of junk. "Only one problem. The old man won't speak a word of English."

"What? What does he speak?"

"Only Spanish. No one here can understand a word he says. He seems to like it that way."

As they threaded their way through the heaps of scrap metal, Duo, Frank, and an elderly couple whom Frank had brought along came to a craftily concocted door of bent metal odds and ends. Though obviously made of colony and space refuse, the ornate gate bore a striking resemblance to an ancient Spanish hacienda entrance. They followed the sound of clattering through the gate and around a corner. Suddenly the narrow dark mountains of junk gave way to a bright, expansive opening. 

"Woah!" Duo stopped dead in his tracks. All the others gasped and collided into him, too busy gaping at the surprising pocket of beauty. Here in the middle of a space colony was a piece of old Mexico. The mechanical sun seemed to burn brighter and hotter in the spacious open area surrounded by a mountain range of broken machinery and spare parts. The opening was densely planted with one of the most expansive and rare collection of trees, shrubs and flowers that had ever been seen on the colonies.

Finally, Duo remembered what they were there for. The clattering had stopped. It was impossible to tell where the sound had come from so Duo called out, "Hey, Sinco! Where are you?" No answer. "C'mon, man. We got some important stuff to talk over." Still no response. Duo motioned to Frank. "Fan out. Let's comb every foot of this place. He can't get away from us back here." After several minutes of intense searching, Duo called out, "Gotcha'! Man, you are one tough customer to track down." Turning toward the others he shouted, " Over here! I got 'm cornered now." Duo turned his attention back to the old man. Sinco sat exactly as Duo had found him. His simple outfit belied his wealth. Sinco's plain white linen pants and shirt were draped with a colorful cloth, evidently handwoven. A large sombrero shielded his head from the bright sun here in the large clearing. He was intently carving a design into a piece of what appeared to be a shuttle craft paneling. The design was distinctly Mexican. Duo whistled in amazement. "Hey, Sinco, that's a mighty fine piece of work." The old man continued his work without acknowledging Duo's presence. 

Frank came up along side Duo. "I can't get a word outta him." He scratched his head with a bewildered look, "I don't know how to get through to this guy."

"Let me give it a try." Frank squatted down next to the silent salvage operator who kept on carving in his own little world. "Buenos dias!" Frank addressed him politely, "Cómo está usted?" 

Sinco finally turned toward the group. He smiled at Frank. "Hola! Hola! Habla usted   
Español?" 

Back and forth the animated conversation went, Sinco growing warmer and friendlier with each word. Duo sprawled out on a battered panel from a scrapped mobile doll. He let out a loud yawn and threw his arms around the back of the panel above his head, "They're getting along great. Wonder what they're talking about? Better be something about jobs in there." He yawned, stretched his arms and tossed onto his side facing the elderly man and woman Frank had brought along. "So why'd Frank bring you two along anyway?" 

They stared rather blankly at Duo for a moment, then looked at each other and smiled. The diminutive, white-haired lady smiled shyly and stammered, "I-I'm not quite certain, Mr. Maxwell." She fumbled around in an old-fashioned carpetbag she had brought along and, with a touch of Mary Poppins magic, pulled out a huge, mouth-watering cake. "I imagine it has something to do with my chocolate cake." 

Her husband chimed in, "Martha Smithies Chocolate Triple-Tiered Cake is famous on three colonies!" he beamed proudly. 

"Oh, Henry! Don't carry on so," Martha blushed. 

Duo just rolled his eyes, wondering what Frank must have been thinking to bring these two along for such an important mission. Just then his nose caught a whiff of the cake. He perked up considerably at the insistence of his stomach. "Well, it sure can't do any harm." He laughed as he deftly reached for a fistful of cake. Just then he felt a stinging slap on the back of his hand. 

"Shame! This is for that nice Mr. Sinco."

"Hey, I'm nice, too! How 'bout some for me?"

They both backed away and glared at Duo, hiding the cake securely in their protective custody.

Duo mumbled to himself, "Aw, I don't see what's so special about that dumb old cake, anyway. Besides it can't be that famous. I never heard of Martha Smithey's Famous Chocolate Triple -Tiered Cake!" He slouched a little lower trying to find a comfortable spot on the unyielding panel.

Finally Frank and Sinco stood up, bowing low to each other. Frank motioned to Henry and Martha. 

"For you, Mr. Sinco," Martha said whipped out the exquisite cake. 

Sinco clapped his hands together in pure delight. In nearly perfect English he exclaimed, "Martha Smithey's Famous Chocolate Triple-Tiered Cake!" Sinco bowed profusely as he accepted the gift with outstretched arms, a gift he realized which was extremely extravagant for these homeless people. "Gracias, gracias, muchas gracias, señora!" His eyes filled with tears. He bowed so deeply to Martha, Sinco tottered precariously, almost falling over. He hugged Henry and Frank. Then he turned toward Duo Maxwell. 

Duo cringed imperceptibly as Sinco strode purposefully toward him next. He quickly scrambled to his feet smiling nervously, looking frantically for a way out of the inevitable. "Duo, muchacho," The burly fellow was surprisingly strong as he gathered up all of Duo into a bear hug of a cuddle. "Hey! Easy there, Sinco, don't damage the merchandise. OOF!" Duo struggled helplessly, eyes wide, tongue hanging out, "Air! Air! Hey, Sinco, lemme breathe will ya'?"

Everyone laughed as Sinco put down the deflated young salvager. Duo's legs gave way as he landed on his backside. Since apologized through his wide grin, "Excuse, my little friend. Much time I enjoy such fine companies as you bring me here today. Gratias, mis amigos, much as gratias!" As he escorted them to the street and all bid their farewells, Duo finally recovered enough to ask Frank about the jobs.

"The jobs?" Frank was savoring the moment, "Oh, yeah, the jobs. No problem, Duo. All the work that all my people could want. Sinco will see to it personally. He's really quite an amazing guy." Martha reached over to give Frank a kiss on the cheek. "You are the amazing one, Frankie."

"Frankie?" Duo had just about all he could stand of this mutual admiration society which did not have him at the center. "Good grief! Well . . . Frankie . . . what do you have planned for an encore?"

"Funny you should ask." Frank gave Duo a malicious smile.

Duo groaned and rolled his eyes upward, "What did I start now? I'm getting' mighty tired of taking a back seat to L2's newest rising star."  
  
* * *

Finally Paradise Plaza's newest business was booming. Thanks to Sinco's authoritative hand, nearly every salvager and many related businesses were soon sending jobs their way. Frank was knee deep in paperwork and scrambling workers coming to him for their job orders, then scurrying out to the next waiting truck to ferry them to work. 

Amidst all the hubbub, Duo made his usual grand entrance. "Hey, everybody! The Great Destroyer has arrived! Get ready to push those papers! Huh?" He paused in the middle of his performance. No one even noticed him. They were all bustling about with the first important work they'd had since the war. "Hey, let's not forget Mr. Nice Guy over here who got this whole spit ball rolling in the first place."

A young teenager whizzed past, dropping his stack of papers as he nearly tripped over Duo's boot. "Oh! Sorry, Mr. Maxwell, I didn't see you there," he apologized as he gathered his papers.

"Yeah," Duo muttered, "Seems to be a lot of that going' around lately." He slumped visibly, dropping his head between his shoulders and slunk over to the center of action - Frank's desk.

"Morning, Duo!" Frank called cheerily, "Pull up a chair and grab some applications. The jobs are really rolling in . . . thanks to your friend Sinco."

"You mean your friend." Duo muttered as he snatched the stack.

"What're you saying, Maxwell? I can't hear you over all the commotion," Frank smiled, "Isn't it great?"

"Yeah. Great." Duo pulled up a chair and buried himself in a stack of papers. 

"Hey, Maxwell, fill in for me will you? I have an errand to run." Before Duo could respond, Frank Lobos was out the door. Duo glanced around at the formidable pile and sighed. 

"Don't worry, Duo lad," a booming voice came in behind him, "A cuppa hot cocoa and a good sharp pencil will whittle this stack down in no time."

Duo gave a relieved handshake to Mrs. Terwilliger who managed the office and its occupants with great efficiency and warmth. 

As they merrily started matching jobs to people, a rather huffy, overly-starched, runt of a man entered the office. He looked around with an air of annoyance. Duo felt he better set this character straight and clear him out of the busy doorway he was blocking.

"You're obviously in the wrong place, fella'." Duo had a friendly arm around his shoulder and was steering him toward the street, "Lemme' help you . . ."

"No, young man, this is precisely where I intend to be." He slammed his briefcase down on the table and introduced himself brusquely, "Nosgai, Bureau of Colony Welfare." He nudged his glasses up on his narrow nose, shuffled through his papers and cleared his throat. "So! You are operating a nonprofit organization which dispenses food and supplies to low income families and individuals. That would be form 50932strokeA. Your copy please." He thrust out his hand palm up without looking at Duo.

"Uh, right." Duo called over Mrs. Terwilliger. "Quick! Bring that box of my mail." 

"Certainly, Mr. Maxwell," she whispered in his ear, "Now don't let that pompous little weasel walk all over you, sir. You've got to be strong!"

Duo was feeling less like a victorious Gundam pilot and more like an ant about to be squashed by the wheels of government progress. He frantically rummaged through the huge box Mrs. Terwilliger brought which was overflowing with mostly unopened envelopes, many official looking. "Yeah, yeah, here it is." Duo handed a ripped and crumpled envelope to Mr. Nosgai.   
Peering over the top of his glasses, the official sniffed suspiciously, flattened the mangled papers with his arm, and as he stared at the blank forms. "These should have been returned to our office c- o-m-p-l-e-t-e-d before you ever dared to open this place for operation." He spoke slowly and deliberately as if he were talking to an idiot. He looked around disdainfully. "You will have to close down immediately."

"What! Look here, you sniveling chair warmer." Duo threw his full weight into a menacing pose hovering over the pint-sized bureaucrat. "We've got a lotta important work to do here and it's not gonna grind to a halt just to fill out your stupid papers." 

Nosgai drew himself up to his full height - about a half foot below Duo - and glared right back at the Great Destroyer, "You will cease and desist all endeavors as of this moment . . . or I will have you thrown in jail before the end of the day." Shuffling his papers again and ignoring Duo's increasingly angry stance, he continued, "I see you also are running a job placement service. Form 11903 and 11945 . . . in triplicate, of course." Nosgai stuck out his hand once more.

"Of course." Duo held up both hands in surrender. He didn't bother to thumb through the box this time. "I don't have it. Lock me up and throw away the key, why don't you?" The king of suburbia was beginning to feel buried under a monument of red tape.

"Don't tempt me, young man." Nosgai muttered while scribbling notes furiously. Finally, he gathered a small mountain of papers, arranged them neatly and passed them, across the table to Duo's slumped and surrendered remains. "Complete these and return them to my office by 1400 hours. Sharp." He snapped his briefcase shut and strode toward the door. "I'm being far more lenient than I should be. Unfortunately, you seem to have friends in very high places." He paused at the door before leaving and shouted at the nearby wall, not even glancing back at Duo, "However, I wouldn't count on their bailing you out if you cross me again, young man. Good day!" He slammed the door behind him, leaving a dead silence in his wake. 

All eyes turned toward Duo, who was busily kicking papers around the floor by his desk while muttering to himself. "There oughta be a law against so many laws. How's a person supposed to do anything when he's always tripping' over red tape." Duo added with a maniacal grin, "I'd like to string him up with his own red tape and keel haul him out the nearest shuttle bay . . ."

The door opened. Nosgai stuck his head back in, "I'm putting a lock bolt and notice on your door. You are now officially closed to all business until - make that if - I give my approval to this whole shoddy business." He left with a slam and a click of a huge chained latch over the door handle. A crowd of bewildered people gathered around to look. Duo noticed among the onlookers Hilde. He motioned for her to come around back. He met her at the door.

"Hilde, am I glad to see you." Duo looked as down as she had ever seen him. Yet she couldn't help sending up a silent prayer of thanks for whatever disaster drove him to forget his anger toward her.

"Oh, Duo, I don't think I've ever seen you so low. What in the world is going on?"

"That paper juggler who just locked us in plans to shut us down until I jump through his hoops." He looked up plaintively, "I'm no hoop jumper, Hilde, you know that." he looked up at her plaintively.

She stroked his braid gently, "Of course not, Duo. That's my job. How come you didn't ask me for help?" 

Sheepishly with a touch of the old Duo grin he answered, "I figured you'd had enough of me lately. Besides," he brought himself up and squared his shoulders, "I'm the Great Destroyer! No piddling piece of paper is gonna defeat me!" He slumped back down with a morose frown again, "Until I run into Nosebleed again."

Hilde looked bewildered, "Excuse me? What nosebleed?"

"Never mind, Hilde." Duo jumped up and stuck out both hands, grabbing hers and yanking her up, "If anyone can defeat our Mr. Nosgai, it's you, Hilde. He looked intently at her. "I shoulda known better than to try to handle this whole operation without you."

"Oh, Duo!" Hilde's smiling eyes locked on Duo's for a brief moment. Then she was all business. She lunged at the army of paperwork threatening to bury Duo's desk. "Let's see what kinda party we can pull out of this stack of confetti."

"Whatever you say, Cadet Hilde!" Duo plopped the box in front of her on the floor. He grabbed a cup of hot chocolate which Mrs. Terwiliger had just brought and reclined against the nearby wall, watching the two women fly through the stack with impressive efficiency and team work. 

After several hours of work Hilde got up and stretched, "Well, I think we're ready to do battle with the formidable Mr. Nosgai, Duo."

"I'm way ahead of you, babe." Duo grabbed her and got their coats, "Let's move!"

"Best of luck, young ones," Mrs. Terwiliger called after them, "And give that Nose a punch for me!"

* * *

Coming out of Nosgai's office 2 hours later, they both collapsed on the park bench in the little garden across from the colony's government office complex. 

"Whew!" Duo sprawled out on the bench, tipping back his baseball cap, "Am I glad that's over."

"Not quite over." Hilde looked rather pensive, "Do you realize all the information we need yet . . . and need to keep record of to get this whole operation up and moving again?"

"We were moving just fine until Nosenoose dropped his paper bomb on us."

"I'm serious, Duo!" Hilde sighed, "We need a top notch computer system and access to records we are not likely to get access to, even with Relena's help." Nosegai knows that. That's why he was so smug and agreeable in there.

"You mean he's giving us just enough red tape to hang ourselves!"

"It's beginning to look that way."

"Man, I've got my hands full with getting' this whole project off the ground. This new wrinkle calls for some super computer sleuthing. We need someone with hacking skills beyond what I can handle right now." Duo thought for a moment intently, "I think I know just the person to dig us out of this paperlanche." He took off in a run leaving Hilde and all the paperwork on the park bench. A pigeon landed on the stack, pecking at the words as if they were bugs. He flew away abruptly, leaving a calling card on the all-important forms.  
"Duo!"

* * *

Duo bounded up the stairs of the library, heading for the reference room. He spied his target in a quiet corner, zeroed in and lunged straight at him. He grabbed a chair on the way, whirled it in front of his victim and straddled it backward, resting his chin on the high back. "Heero! Just the hacker I need for the most important mission since we destroyed Libra!" Duo went to great lengths to plead his case in his usual animated fashion. 

Heero remained as implacable as ever. If he heard a word he wasn't going to let this nuisance know.

Duo played his trump card, "Okay, ol' buddy, I can take a hint." He started to walk away, "Relena's gonna be mighty disappointed you couldn't help her. This project means a lot to her. I guess I'll just have to do it myself. I sure wouldn't wanna be the one to let her down."

Heero's gaze bore a hole through the computer screen, his fingers didn't lose a beat to the staccato rhythm, but now only gibberish popped up on the screen. Fortunately, Duo noticed none of this.

Duo whirled around toward Heero, frustrated but determined, "You know you're the best for the job. Heck, you're the only one for the job, Heero, let's face it. You're my 'best man' . . . so to speak." 

Without pausing from his computer work, Heero finally spoke, "All I want to know is . . . how did you find me."

Duo leaned nonchalantly against the wall, rubbing his fists together with glee. "I have my ways."  
He leaned over Heero's computer glaring like a vulture.

Heero studiously ignored him until the braid flopped on his keyboard sending another array of spurious signals to the computer. Suddenly the screen went blank. "Crashed." Heero commented in his poker-player monotone. He swatted the offending braid off his keyboard as if it were an annoying gnat. 

Duo resisted the urge to swat back. "C'mon Heero," he persisted, "You know you're not going to get anything done here."

Heero was packing up his computer equipment, "Not with you around, that's for sure."

Smugly Duo leaned back against the wall, patting his braid fondly, "You're right about that. Now let me explain the situation to you . . ."

As Duo prattled on, Heero gathered a few items, glanced back briefly at Duo who was oblivious to everything going on around him. With a slight nod and the briefest upturned curl of his mouth, Heero slung his jacket over his shoulder and silently walked out the door.

"So, there's the plan in a nutshell. I think you can handle job. No problem. So, whadaya say, Heero?" Duo finally looked around the empty room. "Heero?"


	4. Heero to the Rescue

**_Hawks of Peace  
Chapter 4:  
Heero to the Rescue_**

**By: F.C. Noventa   
  
**

Time period: AC 199-200  
Based on minor character(s) from Episode 35: _The Return of Wufei,_ and _Endless Waltz Special Edition. _(We named one Frank Lobos) _  
_Material was also taken from the mangas Blind Target and Episode Zero.  


"So what are you doing, Mr. Yuy? Those look like colony government files. Hey!" A long and lanky kid jammed his thick, oversized glasses up on his nose squinting to get a better view at the laptop screen, "That's pretty tough stuff to hack into. What kind of password generator code are you using?" The 11-year-old nuisance hovered over Heero's shoulder in the cramped back office of Paradise Plaza HQ. 

"Hey, Zilch!" a gang of snickering teens paused briefly at the door to taunt, "Found someone new to pester?" Another boy shouted to the newcomer, "Mister, you gotta watch out for Zilch. He'll latch on like a leech to anyone with a computer!" The girls in the group whispered, then giggled. 

The bespeckled young man drew himself up to his full height (which wasn't much), and dared to stand face to face with the gang's leader for the first time. "Don't call me Zilch. From now on my name is Zero. That's spelled Z-double E-R-O!" 

"Whatever . . . Z-E-E-R-O," The kid snickered back, "It all adds up to nothing either way." The group ran down the hallway laughing and pointing back at Zeero standing defiantly.

Without looking up from his work Hero addressed the boy, "Are you sure you want that name?"

"Zeero turned his attention to the Gundam pilot, eyes suddenly shining, "They'll call me some big fat nothing of a name anyway. I'd rather be called Zeero than Zilch.

Heero glanced at him quizzically.

"Don't you see? Zeero sounds like Heero!" Suddenly realizing he had said more than he wanted to Zeero shyly added, "After all, the I always admired our great colony leader." 

"I understand," Heero replied as he turned back to his computer. After a few minutes of silent, closely observed work he added, "I'm have some trouble cracking this encryption scheme. Think you can help, . . . Zeero?"

"You bet, Mr. Yuy! Encryption is my middle name!"

The rest of the day Heero and Zeero could be seen plugging away at computers side by side, huddled occasionally in serious conferences over this puzzle or that. Fingers flew as they cleared the red tape off the path for Paradise Plaza, Inc. Finally, as dark descended, they emerged victorious. Zeero was beaming enough for both of them. Heero silently handed the results of their efforts to Duo. "Here. The last part will be finished by morning." 

His mission complete, Heero walked out the door, jacket slung over his back.

Duo scratched his head, eyes wide, "Huh? Hey, Heero! This'll do it all right. Say, thanks. Man! That guy is really something'."

"He sure is!" Zeero replied, then shouted to Heero, "Good bye, Mr. Yuy! See you tonight!"

"Tonight?" Duo turned to the kid he'd never noticed before, "I didn't think Heero was coming back until morning?"

"Oh, he isn't," Zeero called over his shoulder as he left for his small cardboard shanty, "Mr. Yuy is taking me to supper. Goodnight, Duo."

"Supper?" Duo started scratching his head again. Hairs were beginning to fall out from the overworked spot, "I didn't even know that guy eats."

* * * 

"Oh, man!" Duo rushed into HQ the next morning with a crumpled wad of papers in hand, "Are we ever in trouble now." He pushed his way into the back office, where Heero was finishing up his work. "Heero! Drop whatever your doing. This is urgent."

Heero continued tapping at the keyboard. 

"I mean it!" Duo planted himself in front of the oblivious Heero. He leaned over and slammed the lid of Heero's laptop shut, provoking a long, intense glare. Duo backed down slightly until he remembered the person who caused his problem in the first place.

"Noisegate is at it again. Man, he is out to get me! Listen, Heero. We've got to pull up the latest entries. Nuisance Man just ordered another batch of changes and moved up the due date to noon today!"

Heero glanced over the reports. "I need to take care of some preliminaries before I complete this." He got up and walked to the door, "Zeero , mind the laptop, will you?" He called back to Duo as he headed out, "You worry too much."

A bulging-eyed Duo stared in disbelief at the empty doorway and the well-guarded laptop. "That guy is unbelievable! Doesn't he know the whole plan's about to explode in our faces? He acts like Mouth Guy was just a gadfly."

  
"Hey, kid!"

Zeero looked up and gave Duo an all-too-familiar withering glare, studiously pushed his glasses back up on the red-worn bridge of his nose. "Zeero," he replied in a Heero-style monotone.

"Come again?" Duo stared uncomprehending at the kid who was starting to get on his nerves - something about his voice and looks.

"The name is 'Zeero', remember?"

"Whatever ya' say, kid." Duo was too preoccupied to be bothered, "Look, I'm in a mighty big hurry and I need some nimble digits to whip up another digital miracle. I don't s'pose you . . . ? Nah!" Duo sighed and threw his hands up in frustration. Turning on his heels he headed out the door after Heero. "Aw, I don't have time for this. I NEED A COMPUTER GENIUS!"

A whizz and blur rushed up from behind Duo, planting itself in his path. 

"You can count on me, Mr. Maxwell! Heero taught me all he knows about the computer work on this project. I'll have your problem solved in no time, sir!" Zeero grabbed the wad of papers and scurried back to the computer, Duo hot on his heels. 

"Uh, just one minute there . . ." The kid's sudden tone of respect raised Duo's internal alarm system. "Are you sure you know what yer doing', ki - er - Zeero? This is awfully important paperwork. I gotta get it to Noisegray by noon today." 

"Piece of cake, Mr. Maxwell." Zeero had already smoothed out Duo's wad of papers and brought up the government's own secure files on the missing data.

Duo watched over his shoulder scratching the tip of his nose as he tried to follow Zeero's flying fingers. "Well, I gotta admit, it looks like you know your stuff all right!" Duo slammed Zeero on the back knocking his glasses down his nose again. "I leave it in your hands. I gotta get on the phones. Get it to me by 11:30, Zeero." 

Twenty minutes later Zeero plopped a batch of completed forms on Duo's lap. "Here you go!"

"Way ta' go, Heero. Oops! Sorry. I mean . . ."

"That's okay, Mr. Maxwell. That's the best thanks you could give me." Zeero beamed proudly, "Excuse me, I've got to watch Mr. Yuy's computer until he gets back." With that he ran back to his guard duty, daring anyone to come near.

  
* * * 

R-r-r-ing! B-r-r-r-ing!

"Hello," Mrs. Terwilliger answered in clipped professional tones, "Paradise Plaza, Incorporated. May I help you?"

"Yes! You may close down your offices immediately." A most familiar, unwelcome voice came from behind her chair. Before she could see who was on the other end of the video phone, an armed guard ripped it off her desk and started installing locks on all the windows and doors. Frank and Duo were out, leaving her in charge of the impending disaster. 

"Young man, I demand an explanation!" 

"It's simple. Your papers are forgeries. An expert piece of computer sleuthing through government records. Which reminds me . . . your computers please." 

A now nervous and flustered Mrs. Terwiliger tried to motion to a wide-eyed Zeero to leave with Heero's laptop. "This way, sir," she said as politely as possible, leading the officials to the opposite end of the room. Zeero made his way out the door. She gave a sigh of relief as Nosegai's henchman carted off the Plaza's innocent computers.

"Just a minute, kid." A voice came from the hallway, "Where do you think you're going with that computer?" 

"Hey!" A scuffle broke out in the hallway. "Where do you think your going with that laptop?"

Nosegai rushed into the hallway. "Ah, Mr. Maxwell. We are confiscating all your computers."   
"No!" Zeero still clung fiercely to Heero's laptop as an armed guard tried to wrestle it from his grip. "This is Heero Yuy's computer. You can't have it."

"Heero Yuy?" Nosegai perked up noticeably, "You mean the Gundam pilot? I-n-t-e-r-e-s-t-i-n-g!" A wicked grin covered his face from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat, "Most interesting indeed!"

* * *

Relena's arrival on L2 was a far cry from her last visit. She stormed off the plane with a full entourage and a bevy of reporters in tow. Her appearance seemed more like Queen than Vice- Foreign Minister.

Duo dreaded this meeting. He took a deep breath and fell in pace along side her barely able to keep up as she zoomed by. 

"How did this happen?" She bit each syllable off, glaring, marching straight ahead. 

Duo scratched his head, "We-ell . . ."

"And who is this Nosegai?"

"Well . . ."  
"Just get me to his office now." Relena yanked the car door out of her guard's hand and slammed herself in, missing Duo's braid by an inch as he leaped in next to her.

As they pulled up to the door Duo asked "You want me to . . ."

"No!" Relena didn't even glance at him as she raced up to the door. "Just keep the car running. I'll be out in five minutes. We'll head to the jail then."

"That Nosegoose won't let you out for at least an hour." Duo got out and shouted as she disappeared in the doorway, "Don'cha think I should . . ."

"No! Five minutes!" 

Three minutes later they were heading at breakneck speed to the colony courthouse. There in detention Relena raced up to the cell holding Heero Yuy. 

"Heero!"

No response.

"Heero, are you there? Are you all right?" Relena turned toward the guard lagging along behind, fumbling for his keys. "Hurry up! He may be hurt in there!" She was growing more agitated by the moment, "When was the last time you checked him?" Relena looked around anxiously calling to thin air, "Has anyone even fed him?" She finally gave upon the dawdling, fumble-fingered guard. "Oh, here," she cried out in frustration, "Let me do that!"

"Don't bother."

"Heero!" Relena turned back in amazement to see Heero Yuy standing outside his cell.

"Heero!" Relena's relief started to propel her toward the pilot, who lifted one brow in near- amazement but kept his nonchalant stance against the bars of the cell from which he'd just sprung himself. Relena took her cue and regained her composure before anyone noticed. "I am relieved to see that you are looking well despite your unjust incarceration." She turned a regal gaze on the hapless guard. "As for you, sign his release papers immediately. I'll not have the hero of the One Year War spend a moment more in this place."

As Relena and Heero left the prison and headed to the waiting car with Duo lounging in the back seat, Heero gave him a black-browed glare "Well?"

"Well, what?" Duo's crinkled eyebrows surrendered beneath the withering stare of his old comrade.

"I want my computer . . . now!" 


	5. Green-eyed Warriors

**_Hawks of Peace  
Chapter 5:  
Green-eyed Warriors_**

**By: F.C. Noventa   
  
**

Time period: AC 199-200  
Based on minor character(s) from Episode 35: _The Return of Wufei,_ and _Endless Waltz Special Edition. _(We named one Frank Lobos) _  
_Material was also taken from the mangas Blind Target and Episode Zero.  


At Paradise Plaza HQ that afternoon an air of progress had set in. "Finally everything's coming together, Duo." Hilde took a break from the job order processing, breathing a sigh of contented exhaustion. 

Duo rocked his chair back against the wall. He stretched, yawned loudly, then put his arms behind his head, locking fingers together to form a head rest. He stared up through the ceiling, "Yeah, I gotta admit, I couldn't have done it without you, Hilde."

"Well, let's not forget Relena and Heero," she paused before adding the obvious, "And Frank."

Duo slammed his chair back to the floor. He locked gaze on his companion. "Look, Hilde, I gotta warn you. Frank's got more on his mind than just helping these folks."

Hilde sipped a cup of hot chocolate provided by Mrs. Terwilliger. "What are you saying, Duo?" she asked absentmindedly.

Putting both hands on her shoulders he turned her face toward his, making sure he had her complete attention. "I'm saying Frank is getting serious about yo . . . er, I mean, about Peg." 

"Oh, Duo, that's ridiculous. Frank's a good friend. That's all."

"Maybe to you, but not to Frank. A guy can tell these things."

"Oh, really? Since when did you become such a great judge of human feelings? You are one of the most insensitive guys I have ever known!" She regretted the words even before they were out of her mouth, but Hilde couldn't stop the torrent that came pouring out from a deep well of emotion that surprised even her.

Duo stared wide-eyed in total shock. Slowly his gaze hardened. He raised himself up stiffly to his full height. A veil seemed to fall over his open, friendly eyes. The normally garrulous Gundam pilot silently turned swiftly and left the building without another word.

You've really done it now, girl! Hilde chided herself. But she didn't have anytime to regret her hasty words or their disastrous ramifications. A delegation of workers were descending on her rapidly with a barrage of papers and questions.

Hours later, the office was closing up. Hilde grabbed her coat and headed out the door. 

"Peg! Wait up!" It was Frank. She felt relieved it wasn't Duo for once. Being around Frank always gave her a comfortable feeling like her favorite old pillow.

"Frank! It was so busy this afternoon I didn't have a chance to say, hi," 'Peg' smiled, "So, hi!"

"Hi back." Frank smiled but obviously had something on his mind.

"What is it, Frank?"

"I just wanted to tell you how very much all your work here has meant to me."  
"Oh, Frank, you know I love being able to help all these folks. They are fine people," Peg replied warmly.

"Not as fine as you are, Peg." Frank slowly bent down toward her upturned face. 

Hilde cursed herself for not seeing this coming - even worse - that Duo did. Deftly she moved away, "I almost forgot! I left my papers in Nosegai's office. Gotta go. Bye!" And with that she disappeared from his view. 

Frank Lobos just smiled.

He got in his car and whizzed around the corner, screeching to a stop in front of Peg. "Did you forget you don't have a car here today?"

"Uh . . ."

"He opened the door, "C'mon on, hop in I'll take you . . . as long as we can stop at Sam's Place for a bite to eat afterwards."

Hilde couldn't think of a way out. She gulped, "I-I guess that's okay. I guess . . ." She was still fumbling for a way out of this situation but couldn't think of anything that wouldn't hurt Frank's feelings. She cursed herself again silently. Why am I so concerned about Frank's feelings when it's Duo I really care about. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"Anything wrong, Peg?"

"Huh? No. No! Everything makes sense now." She finally understood why her emotions, good and bad, always seemed to bubble over uncontrollably whenever Duo was around. Why did it take me so long to understand? Oh, Duo!

* * * 

As Duo walked in the door of HQ next morning, he looked around with satisfaction at all the people waiting in line for jobs, Mrs. Terwilliger skillfully thumbed through the growing list of jobs available on the shiny newly donated supercomputer, looking for matches with the skills of each individual. He glanced briefly, guiltily toward the family line which was handled with love and care for each mother and child by Hilde Or should I say Peg, he added bitterly to himself. He turned away quickly, mentally turning to another topic - any topic. Gratefully, he heard Frank call his name and gave a rather startled Frank an overly warm greeting. Frank, ol' boy, looks like the joint is really jumpin' at last."

"Yeah, I gotta hand it to you, Maxwell, you and your friends really pulled it off. "

"Well, you have a real flair for paper pushin' and glad-handin' yerself."

"Thanks." Frank eyed his new friend suspiciously, ". . . I think." He gazed proudly at the roomful of happy people - his people. His eyes settled on Peg. You and I might have put the jobs together but we couldn't have done the family end the way Relena and Peg did."

"Yeah." Duo shifted uncomfortably. He couldn't bring himself to look at Hildy. Instead he sized up Frank. He's absolutely riveted on her. Duo swallowed the urge to slam Frank's eyes into the back of his head. "Uh, I better take another transport of our new recruits to their new jobs. See ya' later. I wanna stay on top of those salvage guys for awhile . . . keep things running smoothly." Duo headed out the door adding, "Besides, I need to think some things through." Before it's too late, he thought as he grabbed a schedule board and walked out the door.  
  
"Whatever," Frank added absentmindedly as he headed with determination toward Peg.

It was late and dark before Duo got back. He flopped down in a newly patched swivel chair and sought out a familiar face. The only two people left in the storefront were strangers to him. "Hey, either of you two seen Hil . . . er, Peg?"

"Yes, Mr. Maxwell," a ruddy-faced young man looked up, "She left shortly after you did for a bite to eat . . . with Mr. Frank." He looked at his watch and whistled, "Wow! I'm surprised they're not back by now. You want me to see if I can find her for you?"

Duo suddenly whirled around on the unsuspecting fellow, eyes wide and menacing. He shrank back in terror as the full force of a Gundam pilot seemed about to land on him. Duo, struggling to regain his composure and barely able to keep his voice calm, rasped out, "No big deal. It can wait 'til morning." Unable to concentrate on anything, he headed quickly out the door, leaving a stunned pair in his wake.

The next morning, Duo reluctantly headed back to Paradise HQ.

"Gee, Mr. Maxwell, everyone's been looking for you! Am I glad you're here." Zeero looked visibly relieved. "Frank's out back by the transports. He really wanted to see you."

Duo almost walked back out again. "Yeah? Well I have enough problems of my own without handholdin' Frank through his."

"Huh?" Zeero looked totally shocked.

Duo backed off, "Sorry, I guess I got a little too much on my mind lately."

Zeero smiled sympathetically, "That's certainly understandable, Sir. Anything I can help with?"

Duo eyed him closely, "No, Zeero, I think you've done enough lately." Seeing how that caustic remark deflated the eager kid, Duo sighed and added, "Naw, this is somethin' I gotta work out for myself. Thanks anyway."

"Duo Maxwell! Just the man I'm looking for!" Frank was positively beaming as he bounded across the room.

Too late to sneak out, I guess, Duo muttered to himself.

You know those holdouts at Colony Salvage? Well, they finally came through! 20 more jobs! Can you believe it?"

"Pretty incredible."

"What's the matter with you? I thought you'd be dancin' on the ceiling."

"Get off my case, buddy," Duo snapped. He added by way of apology, "Sorry, had a bad night last night."  
Frank couldn't be upset today, "Not me, I had a great evening!" When Duo didn't inquire he volunteered anyway, ". . . with Peg."

"Oh?" It was all Duo could muster. The weight of the entire colony seemed to be crashing in on him.

"Yeah! I finally got up the nerve to ask her."

Duo snapped out of his pity party with a vengeance, " Ask her what?!"

Frank looked surprised, "I thought everyone knew?"

"You did look rather obvious, Mr. Frank," Zeero volunteered with a smile.

Sheepishly Frank continued, "Yeah, I guess I did." Looking back at Duo, mildly surprised by his reaction, "I asked Peg to marry me."

Duo resisted the urge to strangle him, "Did she accept?" He felt like the colony's rotational generators were spinning at ten times the normal rate.

Still smiling, "Not yet . . . but I know she will. We have a special bond between us."

Yeah, Duo thought fiercely to himself, we do. Aloud, "A real special bond."

Frank thumped Duo on the back, "You noticed, too, huh?"

Duo winced at the friendly thump. His mind suddenly clicked into high gear, "I think I'll go talk to her myself."

"Hey, thanks, Maxwell!" adding with a wink, "Put in a couple thousand good words for me."

"Oh yeah, I'll talk to her about you for sure." He headed for the petite dark figure who had just come in the door. He grabbed her hand and whirled her back around to the door practically dragging her behind him as he left.

Puffing to keep up Hilde could hardly catch her breath much less fire any questions at Duo. Finally she planted both feet on a curb edge and mulishly held her ground. "Duo Maxwell! Explain yourself right now or I'm not going one step further."

Duo resisted the urge to yank her forward. Instead he reeled back at her. "You gonna marry that jerk?"

Hilde was too taken aback to answer quickly.

"You got nothin' in common with him. ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN'" People stopped in the street to stare.

Hilde looked around embarrassed. "Please Duo, let's go someplace quiet to talk . . ."

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH RIGHT HERE?" He glared at the growing audience, "I'M SURE EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR HOW THE MOST KNOCK-OUT GORGEOUS, SMARTEST GIRL ON L2 DECIDED TO MARRY THE BIGGEST JERK IN THE WHOLE EARTH SPHERE!!"

The crowd grew larger.

"Duo!"

"WELL???" Duo stood in front of her, arms crossed, legs spread defiantly.

"I didn't say yes, Duo."

"You didn't say no!"

"I didn't want to hurt his feelings."

"His feelings? HIS FEELINGS?! What about MY FEELINGS!" Suddenly all the air went out of Duo's huffing, "You mean you're not getting married?"

"The right person hasn't asked me yet," she looked up glaring expectantly into his eyes.

Duo collapsed into a laughing heap on the curbside, "Man, what a relief! That's the best news I've heard all day."

"The day's just begun." She glowered, giving him a not-so-friendly kick to the shin, "Is that all you have to say, Duo Maxwell?"

"Huh? Whadaya mean Hilde?" Duo looked up at her genuinely confused.

"Oh, Duo, you are truly hopeless!" Hilde walked back to HQ leaving a bewildered Duo sitting on the curb surrounded by a huge, applauding audience. He looked around asking them, "Can anyone tell me what women use for brains?" The only answer was a loud and long roll of laughter.


	6. Salvage Yard Siege

**_Hawks of Peace  
Chapter 6:  
Salvage Yard Siege_**

**By: F.C. Noventa   
  
**

Time period: AC 199-200  
Based on minor character(s) from Episode 35: _The Return of Wufei,_ and _Endless Waltz Special Edition. _(We named one Frank Lobos) _  
_Material was also taken from the mangas Blind Target and Episode Zero.  
Yes, ideas from the series _Junkyard Wars_ and_ BattleBots_ were taken and used here.. ^_^ 

  


It was a most amazing scene. Thousands of people from all over L2 and many other colonies as well formed long ant-like lines descending on the towering metal mountains of Sinco's Salvage Yard. The Salvage Yard Siege would have been alluring enough. However, the chance to actually visit the reclusive Sinco's fabulous private world drew every curiosity seeker in the L2 colony cluster as well. 

The fact that Relena Peacecraft put the whole event together added to the fascination. She had pulled off the impressive feat of bringing together all the Gundam pilots, except for an elusive Wufei, and many of the other luminaries from the One Year War. And all for the benefit of White Fang veterans at that made the achievement even more astonishing. It was almost enough to make people believe that true peace was possible. 

To lead the opening celebrations Relena, with Catherine's help, had persuaded the manager of the circus to lend his expertise. In his customary top hat and tails he now approached the elevated center stage which Sinco's crew had erected for the event. Behind Manager on the stage sat those responsible for the event as well as the siege warriors. In front of the stage was the work (or play) area. At either end were set up outdoor construction areas, one for each of the two teams, equipped with all the tools they would need to build a bare-bones mobile suit. Surrounding the construction zone were huge bleachers stretching up the sides of the salvage mountains. By the time everyone had filed in and filled the nearly ten thousand seats the people clapped and stomped to view the biggest peacetime spectacle on the colonies since the war.  
  
Noin and Zechs were keeping a low profile as they controlled the security for the event. Catherine bustled about making sure all the refreshment booths were humming. She took a little time off to join the group at center stage for the opening ceremonies just as Manager approached the microphone.

Manager held his arms open wide and pivoted around slowly to address the entire audience. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome one and all to the one, the only Space Colony Salvage Yard Siege!

"For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of a Salvage Yard Siege let me describe the event to you. In the center ring you'll see two construction zones, one for each team. Here the great engineering minds on each team will have 6 hours to design and hammer out a working mobile suit. The suit will be used to carry one team member. When built, the suits will be hauled to the battleground you see in the field beyond." 

Manager gestured with a flourish to a lovely open field of grass beyond the salvage yard work area. Picnic benches were strewn along side the large pond in the center. The huge Spanish oak trees were listed as one of the 7 wonders of the colonies. No one knew how Sinco grew them, but judging by their size they must have been transported as full-sized trees from Earth many years ago. 

After a sufficiently long dramatic pause Manager continued, "Observe in the center of the battleground the grand old-Earth-style castle." The crowd snickered as they squinted to find the pathetic little metal tower with a flag jauntily perched on top. "One team will defend the Palace Royale while the other lays siege to it. The two mobile suits will battle each other . . ."

"WITHOUT dangerous weapons!" Relena chimed in.  
"Ahem!" Manager was not used to having his speeches interrupted, "Without armaments of any sort except the bare force of the suits' arms, legs, and bodies.

"Now, the victors shall be the team whose suit holds the castle grounds marked in a chalk circle around the perimeter of the tower. If neither suit clearly holds that ground, then the last suit standing will be declared the winner.

"The proceeds from this gargantuan event will go to benefit the homeless and jobless war veterans on L2 Colony."

Duo made a face and a snide remark, "That's a polite way of sayin' White Fang. After all, we don't wanna drive the payin' customers away."

"Shush, Duo!" Hilde was leaning forward from her prime seat to take in the whole panorama of the biggest entertainment event ever to hit the colony. "I don't want to miss a single sight, smell or sound to this day."

I know what you mean, Hilde!" An excited Relena leaned over to whisper confidentially to her newest friend, "I haven't had this much fun since my first trip into space with my father." She grew wistful at the memories of a childhood which vanished so abruptly a short infinity ago. 

Determinedly Relena leaped up and cheered with the rest of the audience as Manager gave the "podium" over to the grand and mysterious salvager Sinco. In carefully rehearsed English he thanked everyone for coming. "I especially thank my good, new friends: Duo Maxwell . . ."

"That's my queue!" A rambunctious fellow salvager jumped to his feet, bowing and waving to the crowd, " What can I say? They love me." Duo started hamming it up for the enthusiastic crowd, "Must be the braid . . ."

"Shush, Duo!" Relena and Catherine joined in chorus with Hilde this time.

Sinco continued on, "Many, many thanks to my dear friends, Mister and Mrs. Smithey," adding in a confiding tone, "Who are donating the grand prize, their most famous home-baked treat: Mrs. Smithey's Famous . . ." and the vast crowd laughingly chimed in, "Chocolate Triple-Tiered Cake'!" "Si! Si!" Sinco laughed as they roared and applauded their approval."

Duo sat in a sulk, "Hmph! How come they get more applause than I got? They didn't do any of the work. All they did was bake a cake!" Looking around in puzzlement he rambled on, "And how come every colonist except me knows about that dumb old cake anyway?"

"Shush, Duo!" The whole stadium seemed to join with Hilde this time. Duo, grimaced at them all and slumped back into the bleachers. Sinco continued on.

'But mostly I thank the one who made me feel so home for the first time since coming to this colony from old Mexico: Frank Lobos!" Sinco hurried to fill in the vacuum of silence and scattered applause, "It is for him I have opened my land to all of you . . . and my mountains of treasures to build our battling mobile suits. You are all welcome. Enjoy!" Sinco gestured broadly as the audience broke out in thunderous applause. Nodding with approval he ambled off the stage.

Manager took center stage again. "And finally . . ." 

Thunderous applause.  
"Ahem. Finally, I give you our event coordinator who devoted so much effort into making this Salvage Yard Siege a reality: Vice Foreign Minister and former Queen of the Earth Sphere: Relena Darlian. 

To the roar of applause Relena slowly rose to take the microphone, "Thank you, Manager." As the crowd continued to applaud, "Thank you, everyone." She turned toward the group behind her, where so many of her friends had gathered, "And all my good friends. You have all given much of your time and effort to help this worthy cause. The thanks goes to you."

"Enough of this mutual admiration society. Let's party!" Duo catapulted over the railing and headed for the staging area. Uproarious applause followed him.

Relena sighed. "All right. Let's introduce our teams. Our first team is the Black Knights led by Heero Yuy, hero of the One Year War. On his team as chief mechanic is another former Gundam pilot Duo Maxwell and Zeero, young computer hacker extra ordinaire! 

  
Our second team is the White Knights headed by Gundam pilot and head of Winner Enterprises Quatre Raberba Winner with circus star/Gundam pilot Trowa Barton as expert electronics engineer and head of Paradise Plaza Frank Lobos as jack-of-all-trades. Let's give our teams a big round of applause as they head to their respective construction zones."

Trowa, Heero, Quatre, Frank and Zeero ran out after Duo who was already sniffing through the piles of salvage material. Relena decided she better get the show officially underway before it ran off on its own. 

"Let the siege begin! Just remember: no weapons that hurt anyone." 

The knights were already scrambling and huddling, ignoring the director of events.

"Are any of you listening?" With another sigh and a head shake Relena sat down between Hilde and Catherine. 

Sally reached forward from behind Relena, pressing her shoulder gently. "It was a nice try, Relena. But I think they need to battle out their frustrations and this gives them the best vehicle for achieving that."

Catherine took over the mike and called out, "Remember, everyone, we have plenty of refreshments and it's going to be a long, full day, so feel free to get up, stretch, and get some goodies from our concession stands. And remember, all proceeds go to benefit White Fang families." 

The noisy crowd suddenly grew deathly silent. 

"Oops! Excuse me," she blinked, put her fingers to her lips as if belatedly trying to keep the errant words from escaping, bowed politely to the thousands of bleachers, "I wasn't supposed to say that, was I? Sorry!" Red-faced, Catherine kept bowing as she stepped back, handed the mike to Manager and scurried off stage to pour herself into the refreshment work. The audience broke into uproariously laughter as everyone on the dias breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Sally Po chuckled as she got up to follow Catherine, "I think she could use a friendly helping hand about now."

"I think it's about my time to take over crowd control," Hilde said as she took the wireless mike and headed over to the action in the construction zones. 

  
Relena was left nearly alone on the grandstand . . . and in charge of monitoring the salvage yard clock. The salvage yard clock was a gargantuan monstrosity constructed from bits of flotsam and jetsam gleaned from the scrap heaps. The ingenious device looked like a mutant refugee from a Mousetrap game box.. Every time a rusty bucket on it filled with dirt it dumped the load onto a weighted platform which tipped, ringing a bell to announce the new hour.

Relena sat and stared alternately at the clock and the knights as the hours sifted along. 

"Only five hours to go," Relena called out as the next bucket fell, "Five hours left!" She opened the gate releasing the sand down to the next hour bucket. With a smug look of accomplishment she clapped her hands in a brushing off movement and sat back serenely in her director's chair.

Color commentator Hilde, meanwhile, was a blur of activity as she provided the details of the action and occasionally conversations with the team members. By her side sat Howard, expert consultant on mobile suit construction.

"Trowa Barton shows his smooth, skillful ability to get inside the brains of the mobile suit." Hilde's voice blared out over the loud speakers for the many thousands to hear, " Look at the way he's adapting that circuitry from a colony escape hatch to wire the visual monitor array for the pilot control interface in the cockpit."

Hilde turned her attention to the Black Knights Team. "Now, Duo Maxwell's thievery expertise is on display as he whisks that prime verniers engine right out from under Frank's nose."

"Hey! Maxwell! I saw that first. Hand it over"

"Lobos!" Duo planted both feet wide apart in front of Frank, teasing him with the dangling engine in his hand, "Come and get it!" With that he threw the engine to Zeero, "Here ya' go, kid. Hand it up to Heero."

"Will do, Duo!" He ran off with the precious piece.

"No one out salvages the master!" Duo threw his hands above his head and danced in a victory circle for the amusement of the crowds. 

  
From her deluxe perch Relena Darlian carefully surveyed the teams at work. Her gaze kept sinking back to Duo who looked more devious than usual. The long metal tube he dragged discreetly behind him aroused her suspicions immediately. She strode down to inspect up close as Heero and Duo furtively began attaching the piece to one of the suit's arms.

"Heero, isn't that a gun you're installing on that arm?"

Heero looked up at Relena briefly, cocked his head ever so slightly, then resumed his work.

Duo rushed in front of Relena's view of the work to explain, "Nah, that's part of the ventilation system . . . obviously."

Relena still looked suspicious, "Hmmm. Obviously." Then raising her voice to address all the participants she added sternly, "You DO remember . . . no fighting armament allowed, teams, don't you?"

"Yes, Miss Darlian," certain team members chimed angelically.

Relena sighed and clambered back up to her perch by the clock. Duo accidentally dropped a laser gunsight which Zeero shoved behind a rusted hull until Relena turned her back to them.

Hilde mingled with the various team members, reporting to the audience the inside scoop on the construction progress.

"Quatre, your team is first to power up their suit." The roar of the engines drowned out the rest of her conversation. She ran back over to a quieter location next to Howard. Hilde still had to scream over the roar into Howard's ear, "Listen to that main engine roar! What do you think of White Knights suit so far?"

"If the race was purely based on noise White Knights Team would win hands down." The rest of his words were drowned out by the roar.

Hilde switched to a quieter spot by Black Knights' zone, "Zeero, I see you're putting the finishing touches on the main gyroscopic balance system for your suit. 

"Yeah," he replied as he tweaked a bolt tightening the assembly in place, "We were lucky enough to find an intact, fully automated gyroscope assembly from a space Leo."  
  
"My, you have a pretty impressive command of mobile suit technology, Zeero," Hilde complimented the young teen.

"It's Mr. Yuy with the impressive command, ma'am," he replied with red cheeks, "I just listen and learn."

Heero looked up giving the briefest nod to his protege.

Duo had his own mission. "Hey, Heero!" Duo strode out of a cavernous mound of scrap metal lugging two large dark hulks of colony siding. "These'll do nicely as wings, won't they?"

"Heero glanced briefly at Duo's find, "We don't need them."

"Well I need them!" Duo plunked the finds on the welding table and started to work on shaping them.  
  
Zeero jumped down and inspected the metal up close, "I like it! They'll make great bird wings!"

"Bat wings."

"Bird wings."

"Bat wings!"

"Bird wings!"

"BAT WINGS!!"

"BIRD WI . . ."

A sudden long, withering blast of flame from a welding torch ended the debate.

"No wings," Heero called out as he set the torch down and headed back up to his work.

"Two hours remaining!" Relena shouted above the din, "Two hours left to the construction round!"

Hilde gabbled on, "The battle for the vernier engines is really hotting up. But will the real crack in their armor come from the lack of many mobility engines needed to power those huge legs and arms?"

"That's right Hilde." Howard picked up on her cue, " The fine gears needed to produce smooth arm and leg movements are critical to the mobility of these suit. It'll be a real challenge for them to achieve smooth, steady movements. The clutching mechanisms needed to control finger movement may be impossible to duplicate given the limited time and parts. I imagine they'll forego those refinements in favor of brute force. "   
"It should be interesting to see how they adapt. Right now it's looking very, very hairy," Hilde concluded.

Frank was getting a crash course in electrical engineering as Trowa directed the placement of the critical wiring in the upper arms. Hilde zeroed in on their work, "Trowa is deep into the inner workings of the mobile suit's 'brains'. As an expert in electronics and communications Trowa Barton works on the master controller located in the massive head of the mobile suit which will control all actions and movements throughout the body. The White Knights Team definitely has an edge in this area with his expertise onboard."

"Hey! What about me an' Heero?" Duo stood up and thumped his chest. We'll have Shinagami running circles around their clunky suit!" He gestured animatedly with a welding torch in hand . . . still lit.

"Hey, watch where you point that thing.." Heero admonished him without looking up from his work on the cockpit area. "And we are not calling it Shinagami." 

Duo put his hands on his hips, torch shooting its blue flame menacingly toward one of the legs of the suit, "So what do you wanna call it?"

"No name," he replied as he worked.

"Sorry," Trowa called from White Knights Team's construction zone, "No Name is already taken." 

"That's right," Quatre added, "We're calling our suit Nanashi."

"Heero glanced up briefly at the suit with No Name, then turned back to his work as he warned Duo, "Just get your work done."

Duo was ready to do battle on this key point, "Well, I know . . ." His nose went up sniffing the air. "You guys smell something funny?" He turned around to see the right leg on fire. The flames were slowly creeping up to the knee where he had labored over the pivot joints just minutes earlier. "Hey don'cha think we should put the fire out, guys?" He stood there mesmerized by the creeping flames." Zeero came up beside him to admire the show, "Anyone have an extinguisher?" he remarked calmly while also engrossed in the flames.

"Here." Heero swung down on the cockpit rope, slammed at the flames with his bare hand until extinguished, then pulled himself back up to his work area leaving Duo and Zeero staring at the blackened leg metal. "Well," Duo concluded, "guess the show's over."

"Yep," Zeero answered. They both returned to their work as if nothing had happened.

Hilde and Howard had both been watching the scene in silent wonder. "Well, you have to admire their nerves of steel. Howard, do you think the fire will have caused any damage?"

"Not if it was confined to the surface. But from here it's hard to tell the extent of the damage."

"Well, the team members don't seem concerned, that's for sure. They must know what they're doing." Under her breath she muttered, "At least I sure hope so."

Feeling the need for a change of subject, she turned to White Knights Team's nearly completed work of art and technology. "Well, it looks like a mobile suit, doesn't it?" Hilde said hopefully. 

Howard crossed his arms and shook his head doubtfully, "Yeah, but the alignment of the vernier engines lacks precision balancing. It'll be a challenge to keep that machine from turning somersaults when they try to walk it."

Relena barked out as the next bucket dropped, "One hour remaining teams, one hour."

White Knights Team was struggling to get the steering controls properly harnessed. Quatre worked the controls from the cockpit as Frank called out the direction of movement. Trowa stayed in motion rappeling down, leaping, and rope-climbing all over the suit to make the necessary adjustments to the motors, gears, and electronics panels scattered all around the suit.

"Right. Right. Left," Frank called out as Quatre worked the controls. "Up. Down. Thirty degrees right. Five more. Okay. Okay. That's it."

"Well, White Knights Team, you do seem to have your act together." Hilde stuck her microphone into Quatre's face. "Oops! Sorry about that. Are you all right?" 

"Don't worry about me." Quatre brushed off the injury which was rapidly swelling his eye shut, "It's a fine suit. It'll carry us to a swift victory, I'm sure" He hopped off the work platform around the lower left leg and tumbled unceremoniously to the ground as he misjudged his step.

"Ooo, Quatre, are you sure you'll be all right to pilot your suit?" Hilde was feeling guiltier by the second.

Trowa sized up the problem and quickly intervened, "Actually, we decided that I should pilot the suit. Quatre will be directing the operation from the ground."

"That's right," Quatre chimed in to make it seem like the plan all along, "Frank and I have been planning various strategies which will give us the decided edge over our opponents. His eye was turning dark and watering excessively now, 

Hilde decided it was time to make a strategic retreat, "Well, best of luck to you."

  
* * * 

Finally, Relena called in a booming voice from the grandstand as the bucket timer clanged loud and long. "Okay, teams, your time is up. Put down your tools, close up your . . . Duo Maxwell! Tools down." Duo didn't even acknowledge Relena as he continued tightening the last bolts. The color commentator ran over, thwacked him on the head with a handy broken hydraulic control shaft and grabbed the wrench as he rubbed his head and cried out, "Aw, Hilde, whadidya do that for?"

"Listen up and fly straight, Duo," Hilde glared back, "Thousands of people are watching, you know."

Duo brightened up and waved enthusiastically to the laughing crowd, "Oh yeah, right! I almost forgot my admirers!"

Relena continued, "After an hour break, we'll begin the battle. Each team will have one hour to test and tinker with their creations. Then the battle will commence. At the end of one hour, I will declare the winner."

Catherine popped up, pulled the microphone up close and announced, "We've provided refreshments for everyone, so come and help yourselves. Picnic area is around the pond to the north of the battle arena. You can spread your picnic blankets around the edge of the field if you prefer - ring side seats for the show about to start!" Apologetically, she handed the mike back to Relena and scurried back to supervise the food and drink operations. 

After a delightful picnic time - Relena had even checked with the colony meteorologist to assure perfect weather for the outing - the suits were hauled on flatbeds to the battle field. Relena gave the final instructions.

"Customary tinkering time is one hour. Teams, you may give your vehicles a test run and do any repairs necessary," Relena announced. As the pilots entered the cockpits she introduced each. "Piloting the Black Knights suit is team captain Heero Yuy. In the Whight Knights cockpit we have chief engineer Trowa Barton at the helm. Now, the battle will commence at the sound of the 1- bucket bell. At the 2-bucket bell the battle ends. The suit holding the castle grounds or still standing in best condition will be declared the winner." She deftly opened the gate, sending a steady stream of timely dirt into the bucket. "Begin now!"

Hilde leaped into a non-stop stream of color commentary interspersed with in-depth background from Howard. The two suits performed amazingly well, thanks to the expertise of their teams. Arm locked arm and leg tried to trip up leg in an effort to bring down the towering metal giants. After nearly a half hour the battle appeared to be a yawning draw.

Suddenly a loud whoosh heralded a steady stream of smoke coming out of the knee joint of Shinagami.

Hilde didn't miss a beat.

"Oh, oh! The Black Knights Team is in trouble. Their mobile suit is smoking mightily. The smoke is obscuring the battle. Perhaps this is a ruse to distract White Knights Team. It seems to be working. The White Team suit is flailing at thin air in a desperate attempt to find the smoke-hidden Black suit. Oh, oh! Wait a minute, people. Black Knight is grinding to a halt. The billowing smoke seems to be overcoming the pilot. Yes, Heero Yuy is succumbing to the menacing black smoke. It has totally engulfed the pilot's cockpit. This could be dangerous!

"Wait a minute, folks. News flash! It's Duo Maxwell to the rescue! He's standing on a salvage mound near the stagnated suit. He's leaping across, grabbing onto a listless metal arm. He's swinging across to the cockpit and yanking open the door . . . which falls to the ground below. How convenient - breakaway doors. Now he's pulling Heero out of the cab. Ladies and gentlemen, what a daring resc . . . uh . . . Hold on, folks . . . Duo has just thrown Heero down to the ground. Oh, dear! He's plummeting head first, apparently unconscious. Will this be the end of the One Year War hero? No. Wait just a minute! Here comes Zeero with a huge box of foam pellets. Not a moment too soon either. Heero has crashed into the foam sending up a huge cloud of plastic popcorn. Is he all right? Whew! Here he comes. Yes! Heero is up and walking. He's fine folks, just fine . . . and covered in white foam. Apparently there was some kind of sticky substance in that box of pellets. Heero Yuy has been tarred and feathered from head to toe in white foam. He looks remarkably like an abominable snowman. What a show, people, what a show!"

* * * 

Noin and Zechs, bored with guard duty have been leaning against each other's backs watching the battle. "He looks good in white, don't you think?" Noin nonchalantly asked Zechs. 

"Hmm." Zechs appeared deep in thought, "Is this what peace has brought us?"

"Salvage Yard Siege and abominable foam-men? We could do worse!" Noin looked ready to burst out in laughter.

Zechs just sighed and resumed guard duty.

* * * 

Hilde rushed over to Heero, "Heero Yuy, can you tell the audience how you feel after being pulled from the smoking cockpit of your mobile suit?"

Heero didn't miss a step as he walked purposefully toward the salvage yard exit. Without even glancing at the color commentator he growled, "Duo, I'm gonna kill you."

Hilde jumped back as he whisked by and out of the arena, "There you have it, folks. A rift in the camaraderie of the Black Knights Team. What will this do to their chances to win the battle?" 

Hilde turned and ran back to the suits as she suddenly remembered why she was there. The two suits were engaged in an all out war. "The battle is really hotting up now, folks! Duo Maxwell at the controls of the Black Knights suit is attacking the White suit with an intense ferocity., Trowa Barton is falling back into a defensive position. He seems to be reluctant to attack. What do you make of this, Howard?"

"Well, Hilde, as you may recall, it was Trowa who destroyed Duo's first Gundam suit when he had infiltrated Oz during the war. It could be, Duo sees this as his chance to get revenge against his comrade for the loss."

"Oh." Hilde was suddenly apprehensive about the "friendly" duel. Fortunately, there was a change of pilots coming. "Folks, it looks like Trowa is calling for a relief pilot. Yes, Frank Lobos is taking over the controls of the White team's suit. Will this de-escalate the friendly arms race? We'll soon see."

It was now Duo battling Frank. The battle had not lost its edge of serious ferocity. Rather, both sides seemed equally bent on pulverizing the other's suit. Suddenly Duo extended a tube from the underside of the mobile suit's right arm. He fired a water cannon blast at Nanashi's head. The unexpected blast hit its mark, the force of the water shorting out delicate, unprotected circuitry. No Name had been stilled by the Great Destroyer.

In a white hot rage, Frank leapt down from his cockpit and started throwing everything he could find at Duo's suit, "Hey don't you know? NO WEAPONS! What do you think you're doing?"

Duo, gagging on the smoke still billowing up from the immobile leg, stormed down to the ground and hurtled junk back at Frank, "I'm battling, what do you think?"

Running out of weaponry to throw, they launched themselves at each other. 

"Yah-h-h-!"

"Gr-r-r-rowl!"  
  
The dust they kicked up in their free-for-all brawl nearly obscured the smoke pouring out stronger than ever from the full length of Shinagami's leg. The audience of thousands - thinking it was all part of the show - applauded and roared with laughter.

Finally Frank Lobos and Duo Maxwell collapsed in an exhausted heap, panting and gasping for air, too drained to even glare at each other. Mercifully, the salvage yard clock rang the battle to a close.

"Well," Duo called out to Frank, "Looks like the battle's a draw. Both suits standing and both pilots panting."

Neither suit had bothered to go anywhere near the "palace" in the last half hour.

"Yeah, I guess so," Frank replied, "But I still think your team should be disqualified."

"No way," Duo gasped, "Shinigami is invincible!"

Just then the smoke from Shinagami exploded into flames and the towering giant came tumbling down with a mighty, shuddering thud. 

Frank Lobos smiled broadly at Duo Maxwell.

**Notes: **  
Don't like the way this story's turning out? Want something to change? Your input is greatly desired! This is the BETA version. We (this is F.C. Noventa's RL daughter writing the notes..) noticed some problems with the plot and contonuity, so a lot of the story will be redone and retouched.. So send in your comments while you can!


	7. Plans

**_Hawks of Peace  
Chapter 7:  
Plans_**

**By: F.C. Noventa   
  
**

Time period: AC 199-200  
Based on minor character(s) from Episode 35: _The Return of Wufei,_ and _Endless Waltz Special Edition. _(We named one Frank Lobos) _  
_Material was also taken from the mangas Blind Target and Episode Zero. 

  


Back at the booming headquarters of the new Paradise Plaza Community Center Hilde, sans Peg disguise, entered carrying a large box. 

"Hey, Hilde! Are you crazy! Where's your disguise? Wha . . ." Mid word he stopped, sniffing the air, "Whoa! Whataya got fer me?" As he started to grab the sweet smelling box,. Hilde deftly switched it to her other arm out of Duo's reach. "Hands off, Piglet. This is for someone else."

Dumfounded, Duo planted his hand firmly on the wall in front of Hilde preventing her from passing by, "Hilde! Not Frank!"

Hilde lowered her head briefly, then looked Duo straight in the eyes, "Yes, Duo. I-I have to tell him 'no'. I-I thought this might help smooth things over a little." She looked up at Duo pleading for understanding, "It's a chocolate cake," she explained even though she knew his nose would already have sleuthed that. Hilde smiled timidly and comically batted her eyelashes, "I've got a bigger one in the car for you."

Duo's frown disappeared instantly, "With chocolate frosting?" he sniffed disdainfully at the unopened box, "This one doesn't have frosting." 

"Of course!" She looked hurt "Would I ever dare make you one without chocolate icing . . . again?"

Duo grinned, thinking back to a sweet victory early in their relationship, "Not if you value your hair!" He appeared deep in thought for a moment, "We-e-ll, I guess it's OK." He put his arm down letting her pass on by but then, with blinding speed, swooped into the box and expertly gouged out a fistful of cake, downing it before she could yell, "Duo! Don't!"

Running off with her wounded peace offering, Hilde glared back over her shoulder at Duo, grinning with a mouthful of black crumbs. "Duo! You are HOPELESS."

"Thank you, thank you!" Duo made a mock bow towards Hilde, then towards Frank who turned to see what all the commotion was about.  


Duo had a faraway look in his eyes as he watched Hilde steer Frank to a quiet backroom of the bustling headquarters. He stood motionless watching the doorway until Hilde soon reappeared without cake or Frank. She gave him a half smile as she went about her work. "Yeah, she looks pretty down," Duo remarked to himself, "I think I'll take her out to dinner tonight." A mischievous grin crossed his face, "After I recover from eating my cake!" He ran outside to find Hilde's car.

***

Several minutes later, Duo reentered Paradise Plaza HQ. Hilde shook her head as she looked up from her work long enough to see The Braid looking pleased with himself, a telltale smudge of chocolate frosting on his chin. A little girl quickly sidled up to him, wrapping her tiny fingers around his hand. She unleashed a wide grin framed in chocolate - a grin with a missing front tooth.

Just then Mrs. Terwilliger bustled in and stepped up on a large crate, clapping her hands loudly, "Attention! Attention, everyone! I have an announcement to make."  
There must have been 50 people in that room, but sudden silence descended upon it. All eyes turned expectantly, not toward the speaker but toward Frank. He had quietly reentered the room a few minutes earlier, hoping everyone would leave him alone for just a little while. No such luck.

"Lieutenant Frank Lobos! Front and center!" Mrs. Terwilliger commanded.

Frank cringed imperceptibly at the long-forgotten White Fang title. Looking desperately for a place to hide, Frank finally surrendered to the inevitable. He jumped up on the large crate next to his secretary.

With an obvious air of importance, Mrs. Terwilliger addressed the assembly as if nominating the next president of the United Earth Sphere, "Sir, I have been elected to speak on behalf of all the people - your people - of Paradise Plaza. We have been racking our brains trying to find some way of thanking you for all you've done for us, for leading us, caring for us when most everyone else would have preferred to see us all dead."

There was an ominous rumble of agreement shuddering through the room. Mrs. Terwilliger knew it was time to lighten the mood. Regretfully, she slashed her way to the end of her well-rehearsed speech, "Of course, it was Martha who came up with the perfect gift. MARTHA!" Mrs. Terwilliger bellowed toward the backrooms. Martha scurried into the crowd, her arms filled with a huge silver tray topped off by a magnificent double-sized three layer cake. The room erupted into applause and cheers. From all corners rose a ground swell of "Oooh"s and "Ah"s and "Martha Smithey's Famous Chocolate Triple-Tiered Cake!"

"What?! Does the whole Earth Sphere except for me know about 'Martha Smithey's Famous Chocolate Triple-Tiered Cake!'" Duo, sniffed leaning against the wall. However, he nodded with approval and renewed appetite as the aromatic masterpiece paraded by. He couldn't help smiling gleefully at Frank. When he realized what was on the tray, Frank visibly gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, then tried to smile, failing miserably. Duo felt a twinge of pity for his old friend. He could see him struggling to find a way out of this disaster, but there was no escape. The whole room surged forward deafening his ears with a rousing chorus of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

Watching the people gather around Frank, Duo finally realized that his childhood buddy was not only more qualified to lead the organization but these people truly loved him and relied on him as they never could this upstart Gundam pilot. "Guess I make a better Great Destroyer than Great Rebuilder," he sighed. 

"I think you are great as both." Duo turned, startled to face Hilde. He hadn't realized he was thinking aloud. Hilde slipped her hand in his free one - the little girl with the missing front tooth was still holding his right hand. "Oh, Duo! Don't you see? This is Frank's home turf," she continued, "His area of expertise. I'm just glad we could help in some small way, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I guess your right, Hilde. I guess it's time I realized 'Duo' is number 'Two' - and in Spanish! It figures," he said with an ironic grin. 

Hilde laughed and gave his cheek a kiss, "Duo means Numero Uno to me and don't you ever forget it!"

Duo gave her a long, appreciative gaze of thanks. Then, with the little girl still glued to his hand, Duo strode slowly, deliberately up to the joy-filled group. Somewhere buried in the center was Frank. Duo pasted on his usual bravado grin and swaggered his way into the center. Slapping Frank on the back he twirled around, braid flying, gesturing at the huge group now filtering in from all directions.

"Frank, while I might be the best person to lead this organization." The crowd grumbled menacingly at the long-haired intruder, "You are the only one to lead these people." The little girl finally gave up her fingerlock on Duo for the man with the tripled-tiered cake.

The whole room broke into raucous cheering and applauding. "Duo could barely hear Frank whisper in his ear, "Yeah, but I think you know what I would trade it all for about now."

"Yeah, I do, old buddy." Duo nodded solemnly, then plowed his hand into the cake, despite Martha's wailings, put the plunder in his pocket briefly, and then shoved the mess into Frank's startled open mouth, "A piece of chocolate heaven - just the way you like it!" Duo slapped Frank hard on the back nearly causing him to choke, "Same old Frank! Always had a weakness for chocolate cake."

"Look who's talking!" Frank laughed in spite of himself, a big chocolate-filled grin. He bear-hugged the weepy-eyed Martha, "Martha, if it weren't for that other guy in your life, I'd marry you on the spot!" Frank shifted his gaze briefly toward Hilde. She returned a small smile as she walked up to Duo and slipped herself under his arm.

* * *

Duo opened the door. "Hey, Hilde! Wha'cha been up to?" 

Taking her queue Hilde waltzed in as if nothing had happened between them. "Oh just thought I'd bring you a pot of Hilde's Famous Cure . . ."

Duo snatched the pot out of her hands spilling some on the floor and rushed to the kitchen with it cackling, "Hilde's Notorious Cure-All Soup. Yum! Just what this lonely bachelor needed! How'd 'ya know, Hilde?" 

Ignoring the wise crack he tacked onto her soup's name, "Oh, I have my ways. You know, if you weren't a bachelor you probably wouldn't be needing it so often." She looked slyly at Duo who by now had his head buried in a soup bowl. He grinned showing a mouthful of pearly white noodle- filled teeth.

"Why Hilde, are you proposing?" Before she could issue a sharp retort he added, "This must be your lucky day. You caught me in a mellow mood and a weak moment. I haven't eaten in," he scratched his head and appeared to be mentally counting, "At least 4 hours. Must be some kinda record." He dropped his spoon long enough to pick up a stunned Hilde, whirl her around, and set her back down. He place his hands on both shoulders, studied her bewildered face and, with an unusually solemn voice, added, "I accept!" Then he wagged an admonishing finger at her, "But only if the wedding cake is . . ."

"Chocolate with chocolate icing," the two shouted in chorus laughing.

  
***

  
Duo couldn't wait. It was a dark and cold 4:00 in the morning when Heero was rudely awakened from his brief sleep.  
"Hey, good buddy! I have another BIG favor to ask."

Heero was instantly alert. "It had better be good to call at this hour."

"You bet it is! Heero, I need you as the best man . . ."

Click.

"Heero? Hey Heero!"

Hilde bounced in from the kitchen with an early morning snack and set it in front of Duo as he disconnected the video phone. "What'd Heero say? Will he be best man at our wedding?"

With a big grin, Duo devoured half of the sandwich in one bite. "He was absolutely speechless."

"But will he do it?"

"You know Heero. He never turns down a mission."

"I'm glad." She wrapped her arms around him, "Because I'm asking Relena to be my maid of honor."

"Ha! That'll serve him right!"

Hilde gently boxed his ears, "It's tough getting those two together, but this ought to do it."

Duo reached back over his head and pulled Hilde down into a tussle. "I had no idea you were a matchmaker, Babe."  
  
"Yeah? How do you think I managed to land a Gundam pilot?"

"Hope you know what your getting yourself into."

"Nope, I don't!" she replied to a wide-eyed Duo, "That's half the fun of it.

_The End_

_  
_**Notes: **  
Want something to change? Your input is greatly desired! This is the done-yet-changing version of Hawks of Peace. We (this is F.C. Noventa's RL daughter writing the notes..) noticed some problems with the plot and contonuity, so a lot of the story will be redone and retouched.. So send in your comments while you can! 


End file.
